Why the closest Supermoon of the year will be invisible to Earth
On April 27, the Moon will be about 221,900 miles from Earth, the closest distance to our planet all year but we won't be able to see this Supermoon because it occurs during a new Moon.
Visualization of the Moon's phases in 2025
NASA visualization shows the Moon's phases in 2025 (NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center)
An extraordinary celestial moment will unfold on Sunday. The only problem is that no one on Earth will be able to see it.
On Sunday, April 27, the Moon will be about 221,900 miles from Earth when it reaches perigee, the closest distance in its elliptical orbit of our planet. According to NASA, this is about 17,000 miles closer than the average distance between the Earth and the Moon and is called a Supermoon.
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However, this close-up occurs during the least favorable time because it occurs during a new Moon, when 0% of our only satellite will be visible to Earth. The photo below shows a 5% illuminated Moon.
A five percent illuminated waning crescent moon rises behind the Statue of Liberty as the sun rises in New York City on March 27, 2025, as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Corbis News via Getty Images) (Gary Hershorn/Corbis News via Getty Images / Getty Images)
According to NASA, a new Moon is invisible to Earth because the Moon's night side faces our planet while the far side is illuminated by the Sun.
Earthsky.org reports there are five Supermoons happening during the new Moon phase this year and three Supermoons occurring during a full Moon. We'll have to wait until October for the first full Supermoon to grace the sky this year.
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"To make observing even more difficult, a new moon rises and sets with the Sun and is only up during the daytime," NASA said.
A Lyrid meteor is seen in the sky above Lee Park in Liverpool, Merseyside, on April 22, 2025. (Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images / Getty Images)
While it’s not a good time to view the Moon, this phase is best for observing meteor showers and planets.
Venus will be the brightest in the sky on Sunday morning before sunrise. The ongoing Lyrid Meteor Shower peaked on April 22 but will continue through the end of April.