October’s Full Moon, known as the Hunter’s Moon, always succeeds September’s Harvest Moon. This month, the Full Hunter’s Moon will appear significantly smaller than usual to the naked eye, with our celestial orb only 14 percent the size of an average Full Moon.
Why is this month’s Full Moon so small?
Tonight’s Hunter’s Moon appears significantly smaller because it is the most distant from Earth.
Our planet’s celestial satellite is currently approximately 250,000 miles (400,000km) from Earth.
The Moon orbits our planet in an elliptical orbit, means our satellite is consequently at some point at its most distant from us during its 27.3 day orbit.
This can occur at any time during the Moon’s orbit and this is as likely to occur when the Moon is at First Quarter as when it is full.
When a Full Moon coincides with when it being close – known as a Supermoon – that amateur astronomers and photographers get excited.
When the furthest point coincides with a Full Moon, it is conversely called a Micromoon.
READ MORE: The top 5 astronomy events you can't miss this year
The Full Moon’s light made it was easier to see and successfully hunt deer and other animals in the darkness.
Other traditional lunar names include January’s Full Wolf Moon, relating to the wolf packs howling hungrily outside villages.
March’s Full Worm Moon connects to the month’s warming temperature allowing the ground to thaw and earthworm casts to appear.
And April’s Full Pink Moon name derives from the herb moss pink, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring.
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