**Next Supermoon: November 5, 2025**
The term *supermoon* denotes a new or full moon that occurs at roughly the same time the moon is nearest the Earth in its monthly orbit. Recently, the Super Harvest Moon on the night of October 6-7 was the first of four full supermoons in a row this year. Now, we’re approaching the second one—a Super Hunter’s Moon. It will fall on November 5, 2025, and will be the closest supermoon of the year, lighting up the nighttime sky from dusk to dawn.
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### Does a Supermoon Have a Super Effect on Us?
People often wonder: Does a supermoon’s gravity pull us harder? Does it affect us physically?
The important question here is: **Does the moon’s gravitational pull vary with its distance?**
The answer is yes. The moon’s gravitational pull on Earth is weakest when it’s farthest away in its orbit (called apogee) and strongest when it’s closest to us (called perigee).
But does this increased gravity actually matter to us as human beings? The answer is no—and here’s why.
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### How Gravity Works Between Earth and Moon
Gravity depends on two main things:
1. **Directly on the masses of the two objects being attracted**
2. **Inversely on the distance between those two objects**
What that means is:
– The closer the moon is, the stronger its pull on Earth.
– The farther away, the weaker the pull.
Because both the Earth and moon are very massive, they exert significant gravitational force on each other. This is why a closer moon can cause especially large ocean tides.
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### What About the Effect on Humans?
Although Earth’s oceans are massive, a human being is not—certainly not nearly as massive as the oceans.
Consider an average 176-pound (80-kilogram) person. The maximum difference in gravitational pull on that person between a close moon (perigee) and a distant moon (apogee) is about **73 milligrams**—around 1/14 the mass of an ordinary paperclip.
Even when factoring in the sun’s gravitational effect during a supermoon, this may rise to about 110 milligrams, which is roughly 1/9 the mass of a paperclip.
In either case, these effects are **imperceptible and insignificant**, far smaller than the gravitational changes we experience simply by standing near a mountain or a large building.
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### What About the Tides?
You might have noticed that an extra-close full moon causes higher-than-usual tides, known as *perigean tides*. This is because the tides result from a **differential gravitational effect**.
Here’s how it works:
– The gravitational force exerted on the side of Earth opposite the moon is slightly less than on the side directly beneath the moon.
– This difference is due to the Earth’s diameter (about 8,000 miles), as gravitational force weakens rapidly with distance.
– Because the Earth is relatively rigid, it doesn’t stretch much, but the oceans are fluid and respond by bulging out on both the near and far sides of Earth relative to the moon.
– These bulges of water are what create tides.
Although your body also experiences this effect, the size of your body (about one foot or 1/3 of a meter across) compared to Earth’s diameter means the differential gravitational effect on you is millions of times smaller—effectively useless and unnoticeable.
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### Why Do Supermoons Get So Much Attention?
Supermoons are important primarily because they focus our attention on the moon and the night sky. However, any physical effects caused by supermoons are not “super” at all. There is no credible scientific evidence linking supermoons with natural disasters or unusual events.
Most effects people associate with supermoons tend to be psychological rather than physical.
There are always several supermoons every year. To learn more about supermoons, you can explore our detailed post: [What is a Supermoon?](#)
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### Can You Notice the Difference in the Size of Supermoons?
Does the change in the moon’s distance from Earth make it appear bigger or smaller?
Yes! A full supermoon can appear as much as **16% larger** and **30% brighter** to the naked eye compared to a full moon at its farthest point.
However, these size and brightness changes happen gradually over the lunar cycle, so without a direct comparison, it’s difficult to notice by simple observation.
To clearly see the difference, you would need to observe the smallest full moon (at apogee) alongside the largest full moon (at perigee). Most people notice this difference more easily through photography or measurement, though some careful observers claim to discern the larger size of a supermoon with the naked eye.
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### Origins of the Term “Supermoon”
The term *supermoon* was coined by an astrologer, not an astronomer. Nevertheless, it has become widely used in popular culture.
In the sciences, the term *perigean tides* is used to describe the higher tides caused when a new or full moon coincides with the moon’s perigee.
Simply put: an extra-close new or full moon causes higher-than-usual tides.
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### Bottom Line
– The moon’s gravitational pull varies with its distance from Earth, causing slightly larger ocean tides when closest.
– The effect of a supermoon on human beings is **imperceptible** and far smaller than everyday gravitational influences such as nearby mountains or buildings.
– While supermoons often grab our attention with their beauty and brightness, their physical effects do not pose any special risks or changes to our bodies.
So, enjoy the brilliant, bright full supermoon on November 5, 2025, and let it draw your eyes to the wonders of the night sky!
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https://earthsky.org/space/does-the-supermoon-have-a-super-effect-on-us/
