Full Harvest Moon: How to Photograph Tonight's 'Supermoon'

Full Moon from the International Space Station — A member of the Expedition 40 crew captured this photo of a full moon from the International Space Station.

(Image credit: NASA)

Are you ready to capture the "supermoon" tonight? This evening, the moon will be at its best — in its full phase and at its closest point to Earth. If you have a camera ready, it's a prime opportunity to capture a brilliant lunar spectacle.

Tonight's moon is the last of three back-to-back "supermoons" visible in the Northern Hemisphere this summer. It is known as the Harvest Moon since it is the full moon nearest the September equinox this year, according to Space.com.

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Keep your exposure settings similar to what you would input if you were taking pictures on a sunny day outside; the moon's surface is in full light because it's also illuminated by the sun.
Use as long a focal length as you can for your lens. Somewhere in the range of 300 to 600 mm is acceptable for most amateur photographers.
Although the moon will be bright enough for a short exposure, it's better to use a tripod to make sure the image is steady and that the shot is framed properly.

Elizabeth Howell was staff reporter at Space.com between 2022 and 2024 and a regular contributor to Live Science and Space.com between 2012 and 2022. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, "Why Am I Taller?" (ECW Press, 2022) is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams.