What is a Supermoon?

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A supermoon can be defined as 'a new or full moon which occurs with the moon at or near (within 90% of) its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit.'

So what’s so special about a supermoon? It will look up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than it normally does.

Fast Facts about the moon:

• It is always the same face of the moon that is visible to Earth.

• The moon rotates at just 10 miles per hour, while Earth rotates at 1,000 miles per hour.

• The moon is very slowly moving away from Earth, at about 3.78 cm each year.

• There have been 117 missions to the moon.

Learn more about supermoons from Lunar Scientist Sarah Nobel in this NASA Video

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