Supermoon: Why you should look at the sky tonight and every night

By Francesca Merlo and Amedeo Lomonaco

As the world prepares to observe the supermoon lighting up the night sky, Brother Guy Consolmagno, SJ, Director of the Vatican Observatory, reflects on humanity's relationship with "the heavens".

While the supermoon - due across night skies on 17 October- may appear slightly larger than a typical full moon, Brother Consolmagno points out that the difference is barely noticeable to most people. “However, it has gained fame, thanks to the Internet, which loves finding special things to talk about”.

Enough phone, more sky

Speaking to Vatican News’ Amedeo Lomonaco, Brother Guy stresses that "we’ve spent too much time looking at our cell phones and not nearly enough time looking at the heavens."

He believes that despite our technological distractions, the beauty of the night sky, and particularly the moon, are an enduring beauty and a reminder of something far greater than ourselves.

Blinding ourselves 

Reflecting on light pollution, Brother Consolmagno notes that “we humans make light so bright that we blind ourselves to God’s light.” 

He encourages a return to the simple practice of stargazing, which, he says, should be treated like prayer: "You can’t do it just once; it’s much better if you practice it every day."

Become familiar with what is normal

By dedicating just a minute or two each evening to stepping outside and observing the sky, he explains, we become more attuned to the natural rhythms and changes in the cosmos.

"Once you become familiar with what is normal”, he concludes, “you can truly appreciate what is new and what is changing. Like the beautiful phases of the moon, which transform each month”.