Hunter's supermoon: Biggest and brightest full moon of the year to light up UAE skies

This will be the third supermoon of 2024

A supermoon above Dubai Marina in 2023. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The biggest and brightest full moon of the year will be visible from the UAE on Thursday.

The Hunter’s Moon is a supermoon, which happens when the Moon is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, making it appear about 14 per cent bigger and 30 per cent brighter than normal, according to Nasa.

The Moon follows an elliptical, or oval-shaped, orbit around Earth, so the distance between them varies throughout the month.

“The Moon looks bigger when it’s near the horizon due to the ‘moon illusion’,” Khadijah Ahmed, operations manager at the Dubai Astronomy Group, told The National. “Although the Moon's actual size doesn't change, our brain perceives it as larger when we see it next to objects like trees or buildings on the horizon.”

When and where can you see the Hunter's Moon?

The best time to spot the supermoon in the Emirates will be after moonrise, at about 6pm. Ms Ahmed recommended beaches and open areas among places to view the phenomenon.

The Dubai Astronomy Group will be hosting an event on Thursday at the University of Dubai from 7pm to 9pm, where stargazers will have the chance to observe the supermoon through telescopes.

There will also be a lecture about the supermoon, including the science behind the phenomenon and its visual effects. Ticket prices range from Dh40 to Dh80.

For anyone who misses the Hunter's Moon, there will be one last opportunity to see a supermoon this year, on November 15. It will coincide with the Leonid meteor shower, another celestial treat for stargazers.