A UK weather expert has shared his top tips for catching a glimpse of this month’s full moon.
It will be the last of 2024’s four supermoons and is called the Beaver Moon after the time of year when beavers start preparing to hibernate for the winter months, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
The Royal Observatory in Greenwich says the next supermoon won’t be visible until November 5, 2025, so it’s well worth doing everything you can to get a glimpse of the lunar phenomenon tonight.
Jim Dale, a senior meteorologist at the British Weather Service, has exclusively told Express.co.uk how to maximise your chances of seeing tonight’s moon, which appears bigger and brighter than its regular counterpart.
The most important thing is to avoid artificial illumination, whether that be street or house lighting, Mr Dale said.
He added: “Countryside and isolated places are far better than anywhere else. You really want no cloud cover and there’s always a bit of luck involved in that. But there should be enough breaks and clear skies across the UK as a whole to see it in most locations.”
He also urged skygazers to get their timing right and not look for the supermoon until “at least a couple of hours after sunset”, with around midnight being the ideal time to spot it. The moon is due to rise at around 3:10pm today and set at 5:16am on Saturday.
Mr Dale said: “The best way to see it up close is to take binoculars or a telescope, which will obviously give you a better view.
“It’s also important to wrap up against the cold. It’s not as cold as it’s going to get, but nonetheless. If this was happening next week, you’d be in big trouble.”
The concept of supermoons was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979 to describe a new or full moon that occurs while within 90% of its closest approach to earth.
The Met Office has forecast a largely cloudy day and night, especially for Scotland, Northern Ireland and the north of England. Clear spells are expected in the south, however, and just a small cloud parting would be enough to give you a glimpse of the lunar event.
