ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) on Friday said the first supermoon of the year 2025 will be visible worldwide, including across Pakistan, on October 7.
A supermoon occurs when the Moon reaches perigee, the closest point in its orbit to Earth, causing it to appear significantly larger and brighter than usual.
According to SUPARCO, the supermoon on October 7 will appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than a typical full moon. On that night, the Moon will be approximately 224,599 miles (361,400 kilometres) from Earth.
This will be the first supermoon in nearly a year, with the last one visible in November 2024.
Following October’s event, two more supermoons are expected this year, on November 5 and December 5, 2025. A fourth will occur in early January 2026, though it will not be counted as part of the 2025 supermoon cycle.
On average, three to four supermoons occur each year.
Interestingly, experts noted that when a supermoon rises near the horizon, it can appear even larger to the naked eye due to an optical illusion, a phenomenon that has fascinated sky-watchers for centuries.
