--- title: Supermoon 2017: Neil deGrasse Tyson Shatters Supermoon Hype description: Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson shattered the hype over supermoon 2017, calling it "an embarrassment to everything else we call super" canonical: https://time.com/5046984/neil-degrasse-tyson-goes-on-epic-rant-about-tonights-supermoon-calls-it-an-embarrassment/ author: Katie Reilly article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-12-03T19:39:54.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T18:26:01.275Z article:section: Science og:title: Neil deGrasse Tyson Goes on Epic Supermoon Rant og:description: "A Super Moon is an embarrassment to everything else we call super" og:url: https://time.com/5046984/neil-degrasse-tyson-goes-on-epic-rant-about-tonights-supermoon-calls-it-an-embarrassment/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8dbd1f669cc86194/6988f37e656a3fcfbdbd2ac2/neil-degrasse-tyson-supermoon-2017.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: UAE-MOON og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Neil deGrasse Tyson Goes on Epic Supermoon Rant twitter:description: "A Super Moon is an embarrassment to everything else we call super" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8dbd1f669cc86194/6988f37e656a3fcfbdbd2ac2/neil-degrasse-tyson-supermoon-2017.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Neil deGrasse Tyson Goes on Epic Rant About Tonight's Supermoon, Calls It 'an Embarrassment'  by [Katie Reilly](https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Dec 3, 2017 7:39 PM UTC  A picture taken on Dec. 3, 2017 shows a "supermoon" rising over the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi. A picture taken on Dec. 3, 2017 shows a "supermoon" rising over the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi.Giuseppe Cacace—AFP/Getty Images  by [Katie Reilly](https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Dec 3, 2017 7:39 PM UTC The supermoon may be hitting the eye like a big pizza pie tonight, but it’s not amore. At least not for astrophysicist [Neil deGrasse Tyson](http://time.com/4909154/solar-eclipse-neil-degrasse-tyson/). The prominent scientist took to Twitter to shatter the hype over [Sunday’s supermoon](http://time.com/5046330/what-is-supermoon-2017/), calling it “an embarrassment to everything else we call super.” “FYI: The very concept of a Super Moon is an embarrassment to everything else we call super: Supernova, Supercollider, Superman, Super Mario Bros,” he said on Twitter. Then he used a comparison that any fan of Dean Martin’s 1953 hit “That’s Amore” can understand. “If last month’s Full Moon were a 16.0 inch pizza, then this month’s ‘Super’ Moon would be 16.1 inches. I’m just saying.” he tweeted. “If a 16.1 inch pizza is ‘super’ to you, compared with a 16.0 inch pizza, then we have an issue of vocabulary,” he added. Sunday’s supermoon is the only one this year. The phenomenon occurs when the moon is full during the portion of its orbit that brings it closest to Earth, making it look brighter and closer than a typical full moon. For those undeterred by Tyson’s takedown, here’s [what to know](http://time.com/5046330/what-is-supermoon-2017/) about viewing the supermoon on Sunday night. > [](https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/937349358147854338) > [](https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/937349511558639617) > [](https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/937350959889637376) > [](https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/937355035507388416) > [](https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/937356274634776576) > [](https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/937357234627121152) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5046984/neil-degrasse-tyson-goes-on-epic-rant-about-tonights-supermoon-calls-it-an-embarrassment/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5046984/neil-degrasse-tyson-goes-on-epic-rant-about-tonights-supermoon-calls-it-an-embarrassment/"},"headline":"Neil deGrasse Tyson Goes on Epic Rant About Tonight's Supermoon, Calls It 'an Embarrassment'","datePublished":"2017-12-03T19:39:54.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T18:26:01.275Z","description":"\"A Super Moon is an embarrassment to everything else we call super\"","url":"https://time.com/5046984/neil-degrasse-tyson-goes-on-epic-rant-about-tonights-supermoon-calls-it-an-embarrassment/","keywords":["Space","neil degrasse tyson","supermoon","onetime","Science"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8dbd1f669cc86194/6988f37e656a3fcfbdbd2ac2/neil-degrasse-tyson-supermoon-2017.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Katie Reilly","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/"}],"articleSection":"Science","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8dbd1f669cc86194/6988f37e656a3fcfbdbd2ac2/neil-degrasse-tyson-supermoon-2017.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"UAE-MOON","caption":"2017 Supermoon rises over Abu Dhabi","creditText":"Giuseppe Cacace—AFP/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/science/","name":"Science"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/space/","name":"Space"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5046984/neil-degrasse-tyson-goes-on-epic-rant-about-tonights-supermoon-calls-it-an-embarrassment/","name":"Neil deGrasse Tyson Goes on Epic Rant About Tonight's Supermoon, Calls It 'an Embarrassment'"}}]}] ```