Supermoon Graces Lucknow’s Night Sky with Celestial Brilliance

On the evening of October 17, 2024, sky enthusiasts and astronomers gathered in Lucknow for a unique celestial event as the full supermoon, also known as the super hunter moon, illuminated the night sky. This spectacle marked the closest full supermoon of the year, promising an extraordinary sight for those keen on astronomical observations.

The Indira Gandhi Planetarium in Lucknow, in collaboration with the UP Amateur Astronomers Club, hosted a special night sky observation program. The event, designed for public participation, provided an opportunity to view the supermoon and other planets through four telescopes set up at the venue. “The supermoon occurs when the moon is at its closest proximity to Earth, known as perigee,” explained Sumit Srivastava, a senior scientific officer at the Indira Gandhi Planetarium.

The term “supermoon” was coined by the renowned astronomer Sir Richard Nolle in 1979 and pertains to both full and new moons occurring within 90% of the moon’s closest approach to Earth. During these phases, the moon can appear approximately 14% larger and 30% brighter than usual, offering a remarkable spectacle for those observing it.

The October full moon is traditionally referred to as the Hunter’s Moon, named for its timing during the hunting season when fields are typically cleared after harvest, providing a clearer view of prey. At precisely 11:55 PM, the moon reached its perigee, being about 351,519 kilometers away from the Earth. By contrast, it will move to its apogee, or farthest point, on October 30, 2024, when it will be approximately 406,161 kilometers away.

Srivastava further noted the visual impact of such an event, “In this phase, the moon appears noticeably larger and can be seen at a diameter of about 3,475 kilometers.” The program was open to the public, and interested individuals were encouraged to contact Dr. BP Pandey for participating in the observation.