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First Of Three Supermoons Looms Large In Night Sky

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) —If the moon looked a bit different to you recently, you weren't seeing things. The Supermoon means the moon looks bigger and brighter.

People stopped what they were doing on Friday as something big was happening right above their heads.

The Supermoon has returned to the sky, and it won't be the only time. 2014 will feature a handful of them.

Walt Heiges with the Sacramento Valley Astronomers Society says the phenomenon happens when the full moon is closer than usual in its orbit. Depending on where it is in the sky, a Supermoon can play tricks on your eyes.

"When they see it in the horizon, there's an optical illusion there and that causes the moon to look a lot bigger," he said.

To get an unfiltered view, Walt says get out of town.

"You want to get up, get high, get up in the mountains," he said. "That way you get above the sky glow. and you get to see what's really going on."

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