CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — October's supermoon is the closest of the year and it's teaming up with a comet for a rare stargazing two-for-one.
The third of four supermoons this year, it will be 222,055 miles (357,364 kilometers) away Wednesday night, making it seem even bigger and brighter than in August and September. It will reach its full lunar phase Thursday.
In a twist of cosmic fate, a comet is in the neighborhood. Discovered last year, comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas is now prominent in the Northern Hemisphere after wowing stargazers in the Southern Hemisphere.
The moonlight will wash out some of the comet’s tail, but it’s still worth a look after sunset, said NASA's Bill Cooke.
“Most astronomers hate the full moon because its bright light messes up observing other objects. So it’s a bit hard for us to wax poetic about it even if it’s the biggest supermoon of 2024,” he said in an email.
Better catch the comet; it may never return. But don't fret if you miss Thursday's supermoon. The fourth and final supermoon of the year will rise on Nov. 15.
More a popular term than a scientific one, a supermoon occurs when a full lunar phase syncs up with an especially close swing around Earth. This usually happens only three or four times a year and consecutively, given the moon’s constantly shifting, oval-shaped orbit.
A supermoon obviously isn’t bigger, but it can appear that way, although scientists say the difference can be barely perceptible.
There’s a quartet of supermoons this year.
The one in August was 224,917 miles (361,970 kilometers) away. September's was nearly 3,000 miles (4,484 kilometers) closer the night of Sept. 17 into the following morning. A partial lunar eclipse also unfolded that night, visible in much of the Americas, Africa and Europe as Earth’s shadow fell on the moon, resembling a small bite.
October's supermoon is the year’s closest at 222,055 miles (357,364 kilometers) from Earth, followed by the November supermoon at a distance of 224,853 miles (361,867 kilometers).
Scientists point out that only the keenest observers can discern the subtle differences. It’s easier to detect the change in brightness — a supermoon can be 30% brighter than average.
With the U.S. and other countries ramping up lunar exploration with landers and eventually astronauts, the moon beckons brighter than ever.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Steam rises from cooling towers of a power plant as the moon rises near Senftenberg, Germany, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas makes an appearance in the western night sky as amateur photographers Nolan Letellier, left, and Link Jackson observe on a ridge near the Dry Creek Trailhead in Boise, Idaho. Monday, Oct. 14, 2024 (AP Photo/Kyle Green)
The full moon rises in the over a beer sign in the outfield at Kauffman Stadium during a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge sent the ball soaring toward Monument Park and Gleyber Torres tagged up at first base.
“That was disrespect out of Gleyber, man,” Judge said with a smile. “He’s seen me hit 58 of those things this year.”
Judge's first home run of the postseason broke the tension, a two-run, seventh-inning drive that helped boost the New York Yankees over the Cleveland Guardians 6-3 on Tuesday night for a 2-0 AL Championship Series lead.
“I'm a little disappointed in Gleyber for not knowing Judge’s pop there,” Anthony Rizzo said. “We were ribbing him a lot about that. It’s a big swing for Judgey.”
Judge, who entered with just one RBI in the playoffs, hit a sacrifice fly in a two-run second that put the Yankees ahead 3-0 — after Cleveland intentionally walked Juan Soto to load the bases.
“You want to try to get a double-play ball,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “You want to try to get two outs with one pitch.”
Judge, who led the major leagues with 58 homers and 144 RBIs, was understanding.
“I would probably walk him, too,” he said.
With New York leading 4-2 lead in the seventh, the likely AL MVP drove a fastball at the letters from Hunter Gaddis 414 feet to center for his 14th career postseason home run.
“It was a big swing to kind of give us that cushion,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “The bench was pretty pumped when that happened.”
Judge also was good-natured about Torres' decision to tag up.
“You never know on these windy, chilly nights what that ball is going to do when you hit it to center here,” he said. “but the ghosts were pulling out there to Monument Park, that’s for sure.”
In a matchup of aces who had off nights, Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee got just just four outs in the shortest start of his professional career and an erratic Gerrit Cole was chased after four walks in 4 1/3 innings.
“Just got to do better, got to do better,” the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner said.
Winner Clay Holmes, Tim Hill and Tommy Kahnle combined for 3 2/3 scoreless innings.
José Ramírez hit a ninth-inning home run off Luke Weaver, just the second earned run New York’s bullpen has allowed over 23 1/3 innings in six postseason games.
After a day off, Game 3 is Thursday in Cleveland. The Yankees lead the ALCS 2-0 for the first time since 2009 against the Los Angeles Angels.
Torres reached base leading off for the fifth time in the playoffs and had three hits. Rizzo had two hits and is 3 for 7 in two games since returning from a pair of fractured fingers that caused him to miss the Division Series.
Rookie shortstop Brayan Rocchio and right fielder Will Brennan committed run-scoring errors for the Guardians. Rocchio dropped Judge’s first-inning popup, allowing Torres to score.
“No excuse, I need to make that play,” Rocchio said through an interpreter. “I thought I was under the ball and last minute I was leaning towards second base.”
After Cleveland closed to 3-2, Brennan bobbled the ball when he tried for a barehand pickup of Rizzo’s sixth-inning double that caromed off the low wall down the right-field line. Anthony Volpe, who had been on first, sprinted home.
Steven Kwan extended his Cleveland-record postseason hitting streak to 12 games.
Alex Verdugo had a opposite-field RBI double in the two-run second that glanced off a shoulder of left field umpire Vic Carapazza and went down the line.
Cole escaped two-on, one-out trouble in the third and then a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fourth when pinch-hitter David Fry fouled out and Rocchio took a knuckle curve at the top of the strike zone for a called third strike in a nine-pitch at-bat.
Cleveland cut its deficit to 3-2 in the fifth when Josh Naylor hit a sacrifice fly and, after Holmes relieved with the bases loaded, Will Brennan grounded into a run-scoring forceout. Holmes struck out Austin Hedges on low sinker to leave the bases loaded.
“They kind of made a little push there and we were able to stop it,” Holmes said.
Cleveland went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 runners. The Guardians are 1 for 11 RISP in the series.
“We’re one swing of the bat away from taking the lead in that game,” Vogt said. “We’re one swing of the bat from being right back in it. That is who we are. We don’t quit. We just need to keep being us.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Guardians: RHP Alex Cobb was removed from the roster with a lower back strain sustained in the opener and replaced by RHP Ben Lively.
UP NEXT
Yankees RHP Clarke Schmidt starts Thursday at Cleveland. He allowed two runs and four hits over 4 2/3 innings in Division Series Game 3, wasting a 2-0 lead before New York won 3-2. He faced the Guardians once this year, pitching five scoreless innings before allowing a pair of runs — one unearned — in the sixth inning of a 3-2 victory. Cleveland wouldn't commit to a starter but LHP Matthew Boyd is a possibility. Bibee's quick exit could allow him to start on short rest rather than in a Game 6.
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New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, left, celebrates with Luke Weaver after Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. The Yankees won 6-3. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Yankees' Alex Verdugo, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto celebrate after Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. The Yankees won 6-3. (AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez)
Cleveland Guardians right fielder Will Brennan catches a fly ball by New York Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton during the first inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio misses catching a pop fly by New York Yankees' Aaron Judge during the first inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. Rocchio was charged with an error. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee (28) walks toward the dugout after being pulled during the second inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the New York Yankees Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee leaves the game during the second inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the New York Yankees Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Cleveland Guardians' José Ramírez reacts after hitting a fly out against the New York Yankees during the third inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez)
New York Yankees' Anthony Rizzo celebrates after hitting a RBI double against the Cleveland Guardians during the sixth inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez)
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, center, hits a two-run home run off Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Hunter Gaddis (33) during the seventh inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez )
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) celebrates with Austin Wells after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
