Prepare to see the biggest and brightest supermoon of the year tonight (Tuesday).
Supermoons arise when the moon is within 90 per cent of the perigee — its closest orbiting approach to Earth. The moon will appear larger and bigger in the night sky and hopefully the view will not be blurred by any clouds and inclement weather.
The full moon of April, also called the pink moon, appears to be the nearest of the year. According to EarthSky.org, people around the world will be able to see the supermoon at its peak about 10:35 pm ET to midnight on Tuesday night, and even into Wednesday’s early morning hours.
The full moon of April was also known as the “sprouting grass moon” or “egg moon,” inviting other early spring signs.
The moon itself will not look pink, but when it rises above the horizon it may become goldener. That’s due to an effect caused by our atmosphere, similar to how the sun can appear more red as it rises and sets, according to NASA.
There will be up to four supermoons in total this year, as the moon appears even bigger and brighter in our atmosphere. The next supermoon is set to take place on May 7.
So keep an eye on the sky by mid-April for a stunning, bright alignment of Jupiter, Saturn, Mars and the moon.
According to NASA, this will not happen again for a couple of years.
