First Supermoon of 2025 Graces Pakistan’s Skies

The first supermoon of 2025 graced the night sky over Pakistan on Tuesday, drawing astronomy buffs to prime viewing locations to witness the celestial display.

The phenomenon occurred around 7pm Pakistan Standard Time (PST), shortly after the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) addressed international media reports suggesting the supermoon had appeared a day earlier.

According to a Suparco representative, a timing overlap resulted in the spectacle appearing brighter the previous night.

Speaking to a media outlet, the Suparco official explained that the event on October 6, known as the perigee, marked the Moon’s closest proximity to Earth, which can be characterized as a supermoon.

The perigee happened at 7pm Coordinated Universal Time on October 6, which translates to 12am PST on October 7, the official clarified.

The Suparco official noted that the full Moon phase—when it is completely illuminated—would occur at 08:47pm PST.

The convergence of these two events—the full Moon and the perigee—within a few hours qualified it as a supermoon, the official added.

A supermoon can seem up to 14% larger and almost 30% brighter compared to a typical full Moon.

Earlier, Suparco had indicated that the Moon would be 224,599 miles from Earth, making it approximately 6.6% larger and 13% brighter than an average full Moon.

However, the most dazzling supermoon of the year is anticipated in November when the Moon will be 221,817 miles from Earth.

The spectacle will be observable globally, including in Pakistan, promising a stunning night sky for stargazers and photographers.

Adding to the visual treat, the planet Saturn will be situated close to the Moon, visible to the west on the evenings of October 6 and 7.

Following this, two more supermoons will illuminate the skies on November 5 and December 5, providing a memorable conclusion to the year for astronomy enthusiasts.