The biggest and brightest supermoon of 2025 will shine over Indiana this week, but just how "big" will it get, exactly? Is the hype more "super" than the supermoon itself?
It depends, say experts, on what your expectations are when gazing up at the full moon.
Timing can be a factor, because our lunar satellite will appear different to us when it's closer toward the horizon than when directly overhead, which you can use to your advantage.
Here are some quick facts about supermoons and how you can possibly make the most of it when the full moon shines down over Indiana.
Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, is when the full moon will reach peak illumination. It will be at it's closest point to Earth all year at around 5:30 p.m. EST, known as perigee, according to Space.com.
If you thought October's supermoon was impressive, November's will be more than 2,000 miles closer, a total distance of roughly 221,823 miles away from Earth, writes NASA.
Supermoons happen because of how the moon orbits our planet, say experts, which isn't a neat little circle.
The moon's orbit is "an ellipse," said Dr. Catherine Pilachowski, professor of Astronomy at Indiana University, meaning the moon's distance from our planet changes constantly throughout the year.
A "supermoon," Pilachowski explained, is the result of two things: when the moon is both full and when it reaches its closest point to Earth during its elliptical, or oval-like path around our planet.
While November's full moon will be closer than normal, the "super" in supermoon has more to do with its proximity to Earth and less, some say, than how it looks in size.
Supermoons can appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than the faintest moon of the year. Visually, that might not leave much of an impression.
As astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson once famously griped, how excited would you be staring at a 16-inch pizza as opposed to a 15-inch pizza? Would you still call it a "super pizza?"
If you want to see the moon shine at its biggest and brightest, there's a trick you can use to make that happen -- the "Moon Illusion."
The moon looks larger the closer it is to the horizon, especially when the full moon is poking out above mountains, buildings, bodies of water or just over the treeline.
But that's an optical illusion, writes NASA. Our brain tricks us into thinking the moon is bigger because of how we perceive its depth in relation to the other objects around it.
If you gaze at the moon through a cardboard tube, or cup your hands to block out everything except the moon, it "returns" to its normal size.
Nevertheless, you can use this optical illusion to your advantage Nov. 5 by gazing at the supermoon just as it crests the horizon.
Moonrise for the Indianapolis area will happen by roughly 5:27 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, crossing the meridian at 12:03 a.m. before setting at 7:29 a.m. Thursday.
You can check moonrise and moonset times for your zip code by visiting the Old Farmer's Almanac online.
Skies should be mostly clear Wednesday night, Nov. 5, during the full moon, according to the National Weather Service in Indianapolis. You'll probably want a warm coat if you step outside, however.
After highs of around 69, lows will sink to roughly 38, according to NWS, with northwest winds of 5 to 8 mph becoming calm after midnight.
November's full moon is also known as the Beaver Moon, which takes its name from early Native American tribes as well as American colonists, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.
November is when beavers begin sheltering in their lodges after gathering enough food to last the winter. Fur trappers, the almanac stated, used this time to hunt beavers for their pelts.
Other names for November's full moon from Native American tribes include the Whitefish Moon, the Deer Rutting Moon, and Frost Moon.
John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at [email protected]. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff.