Extremely rare comet, supermoon combo will light up skies over DC, Maryland, Virginia

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (FOX 5/AP) - October’s supermoon is the closest of the year and it’s teaming up with a comet for a rare stargazing two-for-one this week.

The third of four supermoons this year, named the Hunter's Moon supermoon, will be 222,055 miles (357,364 kilometers) away on Wednesday night, making it seem even bigger and brighter than in August and September. 

The supermoon reached its peak at 7:26 a.m. Thursday but it will appear full to the naked eye all throughout the night. 

In a twist of cosmic fate, a comet is in the neighborhood. Once the sun sets Thursday night. the Tsuchinshan-ATLAS comet will shine brightly in the western sky, according to the latest update from Space.com. 

Discovered last year, comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas is now prominent in the Northern Hemisphere after wowing stargazers in the Southern Hemisphere. The comet has likely been in orbit "upwards of 80,000 years," Franklin Institute Chief Astronomer Derrick Pitts says.

It was initially thought that this could mean the comet could be visible from Earth in another 80,000 years, but as of Oct.14, NASA's Earth Observatory says the comet’s path may take it out of the solar system altogether. It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! 

The moonlight will wash out some of the comet’s tail, but it’s still worth a look after sunset, said NASA’s Bill Cooke.

"Most astronomers hate the full moon because its bright light messes up observing other objects. So it’s a bit hard for us to wax poetic about it even if it’s the biggest supermoon of 2024," he said in an email.

Try to catch the comet Thursday, as it's unlikely to ever return. But don’t fret if you miss Thursday’s supermoron — the fourth and final supermoon of the year will rise on Nov. 15.

What makes a moon so super?

More a popular term than a scientific one, a supermoon occurs when a full lunar phase syncs up with an especially close swing around Earth. This usually happens only three or four times a year and consecutively, given the moon’s constantly shifting, oval-shaped orbit.

A supermoon obviously isn’t bigger, but it can appear that way since it's so much closer to the Earth, although scientists say the difference can be barely perceptible.

Back in August, residents of D.C., Maryland and Virginia caught the breathtaking sight of a Blue Supermoon, also known as the Sturgeon Moon. According to NASA, that moon looked 14% larger and illuminated Earth with 30% more light than the dimmest full Moon when it's farthest away in its orbit.

The Maine Farmer's Almanac began publishing Native American names for full Moons in the 1930s and these names have become widely known and used, according to retired NASA Program Executive Gordon Johnston.

How do supermoons compare?

There’s a quartet of supermoons this year.

The one in August was 224,917 miles (361,970 kilometers) away. September’s was nearly 3,000 miles (4,484 kilometers) closer the night of Sept. 17 into the following morning. A partial lunar eclipse also unfolded that night, visible in much of the Americas, Africa and Europe as Earth’s shadow fell on the moon, resembling a small bite.

October’s supermoon is the year’s closest at 222,055 miles (357,364 kilometers) from Earth, followed by the November supermoon at a distance of 224,853 miles (361,867 kilometers).

What’s in it for me?

Scientists point out that only the keenest observers can discern the subtle differences. It’s easier to detect the change in brightness — a supermoon can be 30% brighter than average.

With the U.S. and other countries ramping up lunar exploration with landers and eventually astronauts, the moon beckons brighter than ever.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.