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A micromoon will grace the night skies this weekend

There's a micromoon coming up

Adithi Ramakrishnan
Tuesday 08 April 2025 22:03 BST

There's a micromoon coming up.

The full moon will look slightly smaller and dimmer on Saturday night. But the change may be tricky to spot with the naked eye.

“It's a very subtle difference,” said astrophysicist Alain Brizard from Saint Michael's College in Vermont.

The phenomenon happens when the moon is at a point farthest away from Earth. It's opposite to a supermoon, where the moon swings closer to Earth and looks a bit larger.

To see the micromoon, go outside and look up in an area with a clear view of the moon.

Supermoons and micromoons happen a few times a year as the moon's full phase syncs up with its orbit.

Another micromoon is on tap for May. Three supermoons will be visible this year in October, November and December.

A more colorful lunar event took place in March when a total eclipse turned the moon coppery red.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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