Perigee Full Moon Early Today Rekindles Dispute Over the 'Supermoon' Label

Overview

• The full Moon occurs at 07:03 Brasília time on January 3 with the Moon near perigee at about 362,312 km from Earth.
• NASA’s public posts describe it as a supermoon, while Brazilian astronomers argue it sits beyond the commonly used 360,000 km threshold.
• Specialists explain that any increase in apparent size or brightness will be hard to notice with the naked eye.
• Estimates vary by baseline, from roughly 6% larger and 13% brighter than an average full Moon to about 14% larger and 30% brighter versus apogee.
• The smallest full Moon of 2026 is expected on May 31 at around 406,135 km, providing a clear contrast later in the year.