GREENSBORO, N.C. — It'll be a clear, cold night across the Piedmont - but the sky will be a little brighter than usual. It's the full moon in our Carolina sky, and it's even a bit bigger than your typical full moon.
How to see the full moon
The full moon technically happened on Thursday morning, reaching 100% at 7:26am. Still, it will appear full to our eyes on Thursday evening as well.
The moon will rise above the horizon at 6:45pm. The moon always rises in the east. If you have a totally clear horizon you can start looking at 6:45, but most of us have some trees in the way. Around 7pm is a better time to start looking.
The best time to observe the full moon is early in the night when it is low on the horizon. This is when it appears the biggest to us and usually has some amount of a yellow-orange tint because its light is passing through more of the Earth's atmosphere.
The moon will remain visible for the rest of the night getting higher in the sky. It will be big and bright and beautiful.
It's a "Super Moon"
You've probably heard about a "Super Moon" in recent years. This term refers to a full moon that happens when the moon is at it's closest point to Earth in its orbit.
This can make the moon appear about 14 percent larger than normal and about 30 percent brighter than normal. So, if it looks bigger and brighter than usual, you're on to something!
Our October full moon is the closest full moon of the year so it should appear the most spectacular to your eye.
It's also called the Hunters Moon
There are nicknames given to full moons throughout the calendar year. These are rooted in tradition that dates back to both the agricultural community and the Native American community.
On the list of nicknames the full moon occurring in October is known as the Hunters Moon.
