The full moon falls in the midpoint of the lunar cycle when the Earth is positioned directly between the sun and the moon. The moon takes about 30 days to orbit the Earth, which is the full lunary cycle.

The full moon in October is also known as the “hunter’s moon” because it marks the beginning of the hunting season, signaling to hunters to begin preparing for colder conditions, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. The “hunter’s moon” follows the “harvest moon,” a moon phase that signals the best time for harvesters to reap their crops.

The hunter's moon, the first full moon of fall, will be visible Thursday. It will also be the third consecutive supermoon of 2024. See schedule.