The first of four supermoons this year rises next week, providing tantalizing views of Earth鈥檚 .

Stargazers can catch the first act Monday as the full moon inches a little closer than usual, making it appear slightly bigger and brighter in the night sky.

鈥淚 like to think of the supermoon as a good excuse to start looking at the moon more regularly,鈥� said Noah Petro, project scientist for NASA鈥檚 Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

August鈥檚 supermoon kicks off a string of lunar spectacles. September鈥檚 supermoon will coincide with a partial lunar eclipse. October鈥檚 will be the year鈥檚 closest approach, and November鈥檚 will round out the year.

What makes a moon so super?

More a popular term than a scientific one, occurs when a full lunar phase syncs up with an especially close swing around Earth. This usually happens only three or four times a year and consecutively, given the moon鈥檚 constantly shifting, oval-shaped orbit.

A supermoon obviously isn鈥檛 bigger, but it can appear that way, although scientists say the difference can be barely perceptible.

鈥淯nless you have looked at a lot of full moons or compare them in images, it is hard to notice the difference, but people should try,鈥� Petro said in an email.

How do supermoons compare?

There鈥檚 a quartet of supermoons this year.

The first will be 224,917 miles (361,970 kilometers) away. The next will be nearly 3,000 miles (4,484 kilometers) closer the night of Sept. 17 into the following morning. A partial lunar eclipse will also unfold that night, visible in much of the Americas, Africa and Europe as the Earth鈥檚 shadow falls on the moon, resembling a small bite.

October鈥檚 supermoon will be the year鈥檚 closest at 222,055 miles (357,364 kilometers) from Earth, followed by November鈥檚 supermoon at a distance of 224,853 miles (361,867 kilometers).

What鈥檚 in it for me?

Scientists point out that only the keenest observers can discern the subtle differences. It鈥檚 easier to detect the change in brightness 鈥� a supermoon can be 30% brighter than average.

With the U.S. and other countries ramping up lunar exploration with landers and eventually astronauts, the moon beckons brighter than ever. As project scientist for the first team of moonwalkers coming up under Apollo鈥檚 follow-on program, Artemis, Petro is thrilled by the renewed lunar interest.

鈥淚t certainly makes it more fun to stare at,鈥� Petro said.

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