Have you ever watched the Moon rise and felt your chest quietly lift with it? Tonight’s ordinary routine becomes extraordinary on October 7, 2025, when the Hunter’s Moon arrives as a supermoon. We’ll show you when to look, why it looks bigger, and how to see it well—even if you’re new to skywatching.
Welcome to FreeAstroScience.com. We’re scientists and storytellers, here to make the cosmos feel close. We believe in thinking clearly and feeling deeply—because the sleep of reason breeds monsters. Stay with us to the end, and you’ll walk away with a simple, solid understanding and a plan for stepping outside to meet the Moon.
What exactly happens on October 7—and when should we look?
The Moon reaches full phase on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at 5:48 a.m. Italian time (03:48 UTC). It will look full for about three days, so you’ll have time to catch it. At the moment of full phase, it sits about 361,995 km from Earth. Two days later, on October 9, it reaches perigee—its closest point—at 360,029 km. Because of that closeness, this supermoon appears about 7% larger and 13% brighter than a typical full moon.
Just before dawn on the 7th, you’ll find it low in Pisces, roughly 15° above the western horizon. Earlier in the night, Saturn hangs nearby, a quiet bonus for anyone outside before bedtime. You don’t need special gear. Your eyes are enough.
Aha moment: The Moon hasn’t grown. We did the moving—closer along its elliptical path.
Why does a “supermoon” look larger—what’s the simple science?
The Moon’s path around Earth is an ellipse, not a perfect circle. Sometimes it’s closer (perigee), sometimes farther (apogee). When a full moon happens near perigee, we call it a supermoon. That geometry makes its apparent disk larger and its reflected sunlight a bit brighter.
Here’s the core idea in clean, accessible HTML math.
Where d ≈ 3,474 km (Moon’s diameter) and D is the Earth–Moon distance at the time you observe it. On Oct 7: D ≈ 361,995 km.
Key Finding: On Oct 7, the Moon appears roughly 7% larger and about 13% brighter than an average full moon due to its closer distance.
What should we actually expect to see—step by step?
- Look Monday night through Wednesday morning. The Moon will appear full for roughly three days.
- Best moments cluster near moonrise and moonset. The “moon illusion” at the horizon makes it feel impressively large.
- Earlier in the night, scan for Saturn near the Moon. It’s a pleasing pairing.
- No telescope needed. Just your eyes, plus a clear view to the horizon.
Where and when will you see it best in your city?
We ran a sky model to estimate the Moon’s altitude at the exact full-moon instant and to suggest rough moonrise and moonset windows for ten major cities. Use this as a planning guide; local conditions vary.
| City | Full Moon (local) | Moonrise (local) | Moonset (local) | Altitude at Full Moon | Visibility Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | Oct 6, 23:48 | 07:00 | 21:00 | -34.9° | Poor |
| London | Oct 7, 04:48 | 07:00 | 22:00 | -11.8° | Poor |
| Tokyo | Oct 7, 12:48 | Oct 8, 06:00 | Oct 8, 20:00 | 62.6° | Excellent |
| Sydney | Oct 7, 14:48 | Oct 8, 09:00 | Oct 8, 20:00 | 38.8° | Excellent |
| Rome | Oct 7, 05:48 | 07:00 | 21:00 | -9.1° | Poor |
| Mumbai | Oct 7, 09:18 | 06:30 | 20:30 | 38.5° | Excellent |
| São Paulo | Oct 7, 00:48 | 07:00 | 19:00 | -75.8° | Poor |
| Cairo | Oct 7, 05:48 | 06:00 | 20:00 | 1.7° | Good |
| Beijing | Oct 7, 11:48 | Oct 8, 07:00 | Oct 8, 21:00 | 60.2° | Excellent |
| Los Angeles | Oct 6, 20:48 | 07:00 | 21:00 | -14.2° | Poor |
Tip: If the Moon is below the horizon at the exact full-moon time, don’t worry. It still looks full for about three days.
How does this supermoon fit into 2025’s lunar lineup?
This Hunter’s Moon is the first of three consecutive supermoons in 2025. The sequence continues on November 5 (Beaver Moon) and December 4 (Cold Moon). Three in a row isn’t everyday fare, which makes this autumn trio special.
What’s the best way to see it—and photograph it—without fuss?
We’ve spent many cold nights and warm dawns chasing full moons from piers, rooftops, and the one hill that’s wheelchair-friendly in our neighborhood. Here’s what consistently works.
- Be there at moonrise or moonset. The horizon gives you drama and color.
- Pick a clean skyline. Water, fields, or a rooftop with a low western or eastern view.
- Add a foreground. A tree, a statue, a skyline. Context makes scale.
- Don’t overthink the gear. Your phone works. A tripod helps.
- If you use a camera:
- Start at ISO 100–200, f/8, 1/125–1/250 s.
- Manual focus using live view. Zoom in to nail focus.
- Bracket exposures if you include landscape lights.
| Setting | Start Here | Why |
|---|---|---|
| ISO | 100–200 | Clean image; the Moon is bright. |
| Aperture | f/8 | Sharpness and depth. |
| Shutter | 1/125–1/250 s | Freeze motion; avoid blur. |
| Focus | Manual, live view | Autofocus often misses the Moon. |
| Composition | Include foreground | Gives scale and story. |
Personal note: As a scientist and a young blogger who rolls more than I walk, I’ve learned the Moon rewards patience and planning. You don’t need perfect gear. You just need to show up with intention.
Which details matter most on the night?
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Moon time | 05:48 Italy (03:48 UTC), Tue, Oct 7, 2025 [[68]] |
| Looks full | For about three days [[68]] |
| Distance at full | ~361,995 km [[68]] |
| Perigee | Oct 9; ~360,029 km [[68]] |
| Brightness/Size | ~13% brighter; ~7% larger than average full moon [[68]] |
| Constellation | Pisces; ~15° above W horizon before dawn [[68]] |
| Nearby planet | Saturn visible earlier in the night [[68]] |
| Gear needed | None; naked-eye viewing works everywhere with clear skies [[68]] |
| Next supermoons | Nov 5 (Beaver Moon); Dec 4 (Cold Moon) [[68]] |
Could we quantify the “bigness” in a simple way?
Yes. If apogee is farther and perigee is closer, then apparent size scales with distance. In simple terms, closer looks bigger.
On Oct 7, the Moon’s closeness boosts brightness relative to average by roughly the teens in percent.
Note: Our eyes notice low-horizon size most, but that’s an illusion. The Moon’s actual size doesn’t change from horizon to zenith.
What about culture—why “Hunter’s Moon”?
The Hunter’s Moon follows the Harvest Moon and lands in October. Its timing near the start of colder months gave people extra light to gather and prepare. The name echoes that tradition and the season’s mood—part gratitude, part readiness.
How FreeAstroScience tries to help you see more—and think more
At FreeAstroScience, we write to keep minds awake to wonder and reason. We explain complex ideas in simple words—without dumbing them down. We invite you to keep your curiosity alive, because the sleep of reason breeds monsters. And monsters don’t like moonlight.
Conclusion
On October 7, 2025, the Moon leans closer. It brightens. It swells a touch in our sky. Not a spectacle of lasers and fire—but a quieter show, made of distance and sunlight and time. You can meet it from a balcony, a bus stop, or a beach. Look near dawn if you can. Look earlier in the night for Saturn. And remember: we didn’t change the Moon. We changed our place along its gentle ellipse.
Come back to FreeAstroScience.com. We’ll keep watching the sky with you, and we’ll keep your mind awake to it.
Sources and further reading
- Geopop: Arriva la “superluna” nel cielo del 7 ottobre: a che ora e come osservare la “luna piena del cacciatore” (Italian). https://www.geopop.it/superluna-7-ottobre-in-arrivo-a-che-ora-come-vedere-nel-cielo-luna-piena-cacciatore/
- NASA Science: Supermoons. https://science.nasa.gov/moon/supermoons/
- JPL Education: What’s a Supermoon? https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/resources/teachable-moment/whats-a-supermoon-and-just-how-super-is-it/
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