Brightest October full moon in 17 years rises over Ontario this week

One of the biggest, brightest supermoons in recent years rises in Ontario this week.

The Hunter’s moon is also a supermoon this month, meaning it is at its closest point to the Earth on Thursday, according to Space.com. A supermoon is defined as a full moon that occurs when the moon is within 90 per cent of its closest approach to Earth.

It will appear closer and about 14 per cent brighter than average, Space.com said. It is officially full at 7:26 a.m. Thursday but will appear full for about three days around this time, NASA said.

This supermoon is also expected to be the brightest Hunter’s moon since 2007.

“This is not only the biggest and brightest Full Moon of 2024, but also the brightest Hunter’s Moon of the past 17 years,” the Weather Network said.

Thursday could be the best time to view the moon in the Mississauga area. The weather forecast from Environment Canada is partly clear on Wednesday and clear on Thursday night in the GTA. The temperature will be cool though — dipping down to 0 C Wednesday and a low of 4 C on Thursday.

The moon will rise at 6:05 p.m. on Wednesday and 6:29 p.m. on Thursday in the GTA, according to Time and Date.

The Hunter’s moon was first identified in the Oxford English Dictionary in 1710. The name references hunting season, according to the Farmer’s Almanac.

For people who cannot get out to view the moon this week, there will be one more supermoon, the fourth and final of 2024 on Nov. 15.

Lead photo: David Besh