CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida: 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 357,364 kilometres away Wednesday night, making it seem even bigger and brighter than in August and September. It will reach its full lunar phase on Thursday (Oct 17).

In a twist of cosmic fate, a comet is in the neighbourhood. 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.