When to watch the January 3 supermoon
With clear skies, you can watch the supermoon all night from January 2-3. Yet for the most dramatic view, it’s best to watch as it rises and sets. That’s right around sunset and sunrise, respectively.
Here’s why: According to NASA, the human eye perceives the moon as especially large when it’s near the horizon, even though it’s the same size when it’s overhead. It’s an optical trick known as the moon illusion.
The moonrise color only adds to the awe. Overhead, the full moon looks bright white; on the horizon, it glows an eerie orange. That’s because the moonlight travels through more of the atmosphere when it’s low in the sky. The blue wavelengths scatter, but longer red wavelengths pass through it, giving the sphere a tangerine tinge.
This month’s supermoon comes with several treats: luminous Jupiter will travel near it all night on January 3, as will winter constellation Orion. Keep watch for Saturn, which glows in the southwest sky around moonrise, too.
How to see the next supermoon
Unlike meteor showers and northern lights, you don’t need remote, inky skies to enjoy the supermoon. It’s bright enough to admire anywhere, even from light-polluted cities. The most important factor? Choosing a moonrise or moonset lookout with unobstructed horizon views.
