A supermoon is a full or new moon that happens when the Moon is near perigee, its closest point to Earth. A full supermoon can look up to about 14 percent wider and 30 percent brighter than the smallest full moon of the year. The supermoon meaning spiritually is intensity: feelings, intentions and endings feel closer and louder.
Supermoon dates and times
Next supermoonTue, November 24, 2026 · 9:54 AMET
| Date | Time (ET) | Moon |
|---|---|---|
| Sat, January 3, 2026 | 5:03 AM | Wolf MoonSupermoon |
| Tue, November 24, 2026 | 9:54 AM | Beaver MoonSupermoon |
| Wed, December 23, 2026 | 8:28 PM | Cold MoonSupermoon |
| Fri, January 22, 2027 | 7:17 AM | Wolf MoonSupermoon |
| Tue, January 11, 2028 | 11:03 PM | Wolf MoonSupermoonPartial lunar eclipse |
| Thu, February 10, 2028 | 10:04 AM | Snow MoonSupermoon |
| Fri, March 10, 2028 | 8:06 PM | Worm MoonSupermoon |
| Wed, February 28, 2029 | 12:10 PM | Snow MoonSupermoon |
| Thu, March 29, 2029 | 10:26 PM | Worm MoonSupermoon |
| Sat, April 28, 2029 | 6:37 AM | Pink MoonSupermoon |
| Wed, April 17, 2030 | 11:20 PM | Pink MoonSupermoon |
| Fri, May 17, 2030 | 7:19 AM | Flower MoonSupermoon |
| Sat, June 15, 2030 | 2:41 PM | Strawberry MoonSupermoonPartial lunar eclipse |
Times are US Eastern Time (ET), when the moon is exactly full or at the exact phase. It looks full for about a night either side.
Sometimes a full moon rises over the rooftops and looks unusually large and bright, and a friend texts you to look outside. That is often a supermoon. The effect is real, though subtler than the photographs on social media suggest.
The Moon does not orbit Earth in a perfect circle. Its path is a slightly squashed oval, so the distance changes by tens of thousands of miles every month. When a full moon coincides with the near end of that path, we get a supermoon. The word itself came from astrology, not from astronomy, which explains why it sounds more dramatic than the science. This page explains the mechanics, how much difference you can really see, the tides, the myths about earthquakes, and how people use a supermoon for intention setting. Check the dates table below for upcoming ones.
What is a supermoon? Perigee, apogee and the 1979 name
The Moon's closest point to Earth is called perigee, around 226,000 miles (360,000 km) away. Its farthest, apogee, is roughly 253,000 miles (405,000 km). A full moon that occurs near perigee is a supermoon. One near apogee is sometimes called a micromoon.
The term was coined in 1979 by the astrologer Richard Nolle, who defined a supermoon as a new or full moon within 90 percent of its closest approach in a given orbit. Astronomers use the more technical phrase "perigee-syzygy," and there is no single official cutoff, so different sources list slightly different numbers of supermoons each year. Typically there are three or four in a row, some years more, some fewer.
A supermoon at new moon is real too, but you cannot see it, because the Moon is dark and lost in the Sun's glare. Almost everyone means the full version.
The Moon's orbit around Earth is not fixed. Perigee drifts around the calendar, so supermoons fall in different seasons from one cycle to the next.
How much bigger and brighter is a supermoon?
Compared with a full moon at apogee, a full moon at perigee looks about 14 percent larger in diameter and roughly 30 percent brighter. Compared with an average full moon, the difference is smaller, around 7 percent wider.
That sounds dramatic, but your eye is poor at judging size. With no side-by-side comparison, many people struggle to tell a supermoon from an ordinary one by looking alone. Brightness is easier to notice, especially in a dark place, where moonlight can cast clear shadows.
The famous photos of a huge Moon over a skyline use a long telephoto lens, which magnifies the Moon relative to the buildings. The same trick works on any full moon.
Your best chance at an impressive sight is shortly after moonrise. Near the horizon, the Moon illusion makes any Moon appear larger, a quirk of perception rather than optics. Stack a supermoon on top of that and the effect can be striking. Try noting where the Moon rises and comparing it again a few hours later, higher up, when it looks smaller.
Supermoon tides, earthquakes and other myths
The Moon's gravity raises ocean tides, and a nearer Moon pulls a little harder. When a supermoon lines up with the Sun at new or full moon, the result is called a perigean spring tide, a tide that runs somewhat higher and lower than normal. The extra amount is usually small, often measured in a few inches, and weather has far more influence. Coastal flooding can become more likely if a storm arrives at the same time, which is why local forecasters mention it.
The most common myth links supermoons with earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and disasters. Geologists, including the US Geological Survey, have found no meaningful connection. Earthquakes happen at all phases of the Moon, and the tidal stress a supermoon adds to Earth's crust is tiny compared with what faults already carry.
Another claim holds that supermoons make people behave strangely. As with other full moons, studies are mixed and any effect is small.
If an alarming headline appears, the calm interpretation is almost always the right one: a supermoon is a beautiful, ordinary astronomical event.
Supermoon spiritual meaning: closeness and amplification
Symbolically, the Moon represents emotion, intuition and cycles. If the full moon is a culmination, the supermoon is that culmination turned up. The central image is closeness: the Moon is nearer, so what it stands for feels nearer too.
People commonly read a supermoon as:
- Amplified feeling. Emotions you have been managing may be harder to ignore. Many see this as a chance to notice what is actually there.
- A stronger intention. Because it is bigger and brighter, setting a goal under it can feel more weighty.
- Clarity from nearness. Like looking at a map from a closer view, details you missed may come into focus.
- Bold release. If you have been avoiding an ending, a supermoon can feel like the moment to name it.
In astrology, a supermoon is read as an intensified full moon in whatever sign it falls, which varies each time.
There is no evidence that a supermoon makes anything happen, and the closer Moon does not change your fate. The meaning lies in how the sight prompts you to pause, so use it as a reason to check in with yourself.
Supermoon rituals and ways to make the most of it
Because the supermoon is associated with intensity, rituals tend to be bolder and more focused than on an ordinary full moon. Choose one or two.
- Write one big intention. Pick the thing you would most like to move forward and write it in a single clear sentence, in the present tense.
- Journal on what is loud. Ask what feeling is most obvious right now, then ask what it needs.
- Release something large. A supermoon is a popular time to name a habit or story you are ready to leave behind. Burning a note safely is a common gesture.
- Charge crystals and water. Many people set stones or a jar of water in the moonlight. It is a tradition rather than a scientifically proven method.
- Go and look. Walk somewhere with a view of the eastern horizon at moonrise and simply watch it climb.
Keep it gentle. If the intensity feels uncomfortable, that is a sign to slow down, not to push harder. Persistent anxiety or low mood deserves proper support from a doctor or therapist, not just a ritual.
Super blue blood moon and other supermoon combinations
Supermoons often combine with other lunar events, which is where the stacked names come from.
- Super blue moon. A supermoon that is also a blue moon, either the second full moon in a month or the third in a season of four.
- Super blood moon. A supermoon during a total lunar eclipse. The Moon is slightly larger than usual as it turns red.
- Super blue blood moon. All three at once: a supermoon, a blue moon and a total eclipse. It is uncommon, having happened only a handful of times in recent decades.
- Named supermoons. A supermoon is also a regular full moon, so it keeps its traditional name, such as Harvest Moon or Wolf Moon, with "super" added in the headlines.
These labels are mostly media shorthand. They describe coincidences in timing, and none of them mean the Moon is doing something new. A super blue blood moon is a fine excuse to stay up, though, and a good example of how names pile up around things we find beautiful.
The dates table lists the supermoons that fall in the coming years.
Frequently asked questions
How often does a supermoon happen?
Several times a year. Depending on the definition used, there are usually between three and four full supermoons in a row, then a break. Because Nolle's definition is not an official astronomical standard, lists from different sources can vary slightly.
What is the difference between a supermoon and a micromoon?
A micromoon is a full or new moon near apogee, the Moon's farthest point from Earth, so it looks a bit smaller and dimmer. A supermoon is near perigee. The largest swing between the two is about 14 percent in apparent size.
Do supermoons cause earthquakes?
No. Studies of earthquake records have not found a meaningful link to the Moon's phase or distance. The extra tidal pull of a supermoon is small compared with the forces already acting on faults. Earthquakes occur at every phase of the Moon.
When is the best time to see a supermoon?
Just after moonrise, when it sits low on the eastern horizon at dusk. The Moon illusion makes it look larger there, and you can compare it with trees or buildings. The Moon is full for only a moment, but looks full for about a day on either side.
Can a supermoon affect sleep or mood?
Research on full moons and sleep is mixed, with some studies finding slightly shorter sleep and others none. A bright moon in your bedroom window can plainly disturb rest, so a curtain may help. No study shows a supermoon is stronger in this respect. Both are minor.
More moons
- Blue Moon · The rare extra full moon and its quiet invitation
- Blood Moon · A total lunar eclipse and a copper-red Moon
- Full Moon Meaning · Completion, clarity and letting go
- New Moon Meaning · A dark sky and a blank page
- Crescent Moon Meaning · A thin curve of light and new growth
- Half Moon Meaning · Balance, decision and the turning point
- Gibbous Moon Meaning · Nearly full, almost there
- Wolf Moon · January's full moon of winter, instinct and belonging
- Snow Moon · February's full moon of stillness, scarcity and quiet hope
Angel number meanings are for reflection and inspiration. They are not predictions, and they are not medical, legal or financial advice.