For all of you witchy, spell-casting folks, the moon plays a vital role in so many traditions, including the ones where you hex people and bind others from causing any more harm — right? So, considering, uh, everything, you might be wondering, is the next supermoon in 2017? The answer is essentially two-fold: Yes, the next supermoon will be in 2017. There are four total over the next eight months; the next one is actually in April, and the one after that (in May) is the closest the moon will be to the Earth all year. (There will be a third in the summer, as well). But, the only visible supermoon won't be until December... which is to say, we've got a little bit of a wait.
The phenomenon of "supermoons" seemingly hit a peak last year, when 2016, also known as The Garbage Fire Year, had three supermoons in a row in each of October, November, and December. November's in particular was heralded as the brightest, closest moon in almost 70 years. In 2015, meanwhile, there were six total supermoons, including the infamous super-blood-eclipse moon in September of that year. It was truly lit, fam. Suddenly, people who could barely name all the planets in our solar system began tracking celestial events. Want to know what planets are retrograde right now? Ask literally anyone on the street. They'll probably know.
There are several explanations for why our country was suddenly gripped with Astronomy Fever, but personally, I think the world feels so sad and awful so often now that people have begun looking elsewhere in the galaxy for comfort. I beseech thee, Aliens! Beam me up! Please!
So what is a supermoon? I hate to burst your mystical, Moon Witch bubble, but a supermoon is exactly what it sounds like: a super big moon. When a full moon or a new moon coincides with perigee (the closest the moon gets to earth during its monthly orbit), a supermoon occurs. The moon looks closer because it is, actually, closer.
But three of the four supermoons in 2017 will occur during new moons — yes, the moon will still be there, but we won't be able to see it. Ghost Moons, if you will. According to EarthSky, the new moon supermoons will occur on April 26, May 25, and June 24, 2017; the full moon supermoon, meanwhile, will show its bright and shining face on Dec. 3, 2017.
In January of 2018, though, we'll have two supermoons to look forward to in January — that is, towards the end of the month, we're in for a Blue Moon. Look for the first full moon supermoon of January 2018 on the second day of the month, and the second one on Jan. 31.
