Friday the 13th is a notoriously unlucky day according to Western superstition, which is why so many are unnerved that it will be happening this week. On this Friday the 13th, two things coincide in a way that will make it extra spooky.

The full moon on Friday the 13th happens to be a micromoon, which is an event that occurs when the moon is at its apogee, or farthest point from Earth. A micromoon is the opposite of a supermoon, which happens when the moon is closest to the Earth. Micromoons also appear to be around 14 percent smaller than a supermoon.

For most of the United States, the full moon will be visible in the late evening hours of Friday the 13th. For those in the Eastern time zone, however, it will be visible at 12:33 a.m. early Saturday, September 14. That being said, it will look like a full moon to the naked eye even on the Eastern time zone on Friday the 13th.

Full moons on Friday the 13th are actually quite rare, with experts saying they only occur on that day around one time every twenty years. The last full moon that happened on Friday the 13th was in October 2000, and the next won’t happen until August 2049. The full moon that will take place next month, known as the Hunter’s Moon, is set for October 13, but that day falls on a Sunday and not a Friday.

Hopefully, the night of Friday the 13th is clear so that we can all see this very rare full moon!

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