Catch a glimpse? ‘Supermoon' at most luminescent phase before dawn

BEIJING (AP) - The brightest moon in almost 69 years will be lighting up the sky this week in a treat for star watchers around the globe.

The phenomenon known as the supermoon will reach its most luminescent in North America before dawn on Monday.

It'll reach its zenith in Asia and the South Pacific on Monday night. Across the international dateline in New Zealand, it will reach its brightest after midnight on Tuesday local time.

The moon orbits the Earth in an oval shape. The moon will be at its brightest this week because it is coming closer to the Earth along its elliptical orbit than at any time since January 1948.

The supermoon will also bring stronger than usual high tides, followed by plunging low tides the next morning.

Viewers can expect to see a moon about 14 percent larger in diameter and about 30 percent brighter than when it's at its furthest from the earth. It won't be as big and bright again for another 18 years, until 2034.

NASA said its closest approach occurred at 6:21am ET Monday when the moon came within 221,523 miles. That's from the center of the Earth to the center of the moon. Full moon will occur at 8:52am ET.