In this article
What makes it micro
The Moon's farthest point from Earth is called apogee, and it can be around 407,000 kilometres away. A full moon that falls near apogee is a micromoon. The term mirrors supermoon and is popular rather than scientific, so there is no official cut-off. This site marks the most distant full moons in the table.
How much smaller does it look?
Set against a supermoon, a micromoon is up to about 14 percent narrower and roughly 30 percent dimmer. On its own, you will probably not see a difference, because the Moon's apparent size is hard to judge from memory.
If you want to check, hold a coin at arm's length against the Moon in one month and repeat it at another. A fixed phone photograph with the same zoom works too.
Tides and worries
At apogee the Moon's pull is a little weaker, so tides tend to be slightly smaller than usual. It has no effect on earthquakes or weather, and no scientific evidence suggests otherwise.
Why a small Moon is still worth a look
- The sky is darker. A dimmer Moon washes out fewer stars.
- Photographs show the surface. Less glare makes the maria and craters easier to capture.
- It teaches scale. Comparing photos with a supermoon shows the orbit's shape.
Folklore and related pages
Traditions give the full moon the same meaning whatever its size, so micromoons carry no special omen. Compare it with the supermoon, browse the full moon table, or read about eclipses, where the Moon's distance also changes what you see.
Questions people ask
Is a micromoon rarer than a supermoon?
They are about equally common, since the Moon spends time all along its orbit. Counts depend on the cut-off used.
Will I notice a micromoon?
Probably not by eye alone. The difference shows in side-by-side photographs.
Does apogee affect anything on Earth?
Only slightly: tides are a little lower. Nothing dangerous or noticeable in daily life.