A spectacular super moon is set to appear in the night sky tonight – and it’s set to be the biggest and best of 2020.
Tonight’s super pink moon will be the largest our satellite will appear all year as its elliptical orbit today brings it to its closest point to Earth – a point known as its perigee.
The full moon will peak at 3. 35 am on Wednesday April 8, but experts say it will look most impressive as it rises over the horizon after 7. 12 pm on Tuesday April 7 – and may have a slight orange glow to it.
Professor Tim O’Brien, professor of astrophysics and associate director of Jodrell Bank Observatory, said: “The larger apparent size of these so-called supermoons isn’t always easy to spot.
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“In fact, the most obvious factor affecting the apparent size of the moon is actually an optical illusion where the moon looks bigger when it is nearer the horizon.
“So as the moon is rising after 7. 15 pm it should look particularly impressive.
“You may even see it looking an orangey color as we see it by reflected sunlight which has been scattered through the Earth’s atmosphere emphasizing the redder colors. “
The super moon will also be visible during the morning moonset on Wednesday April 8.
To see it tonight you’ll need to look out from an east-facing window or garden. You’ll be able to see it from the west tomorrow morning.
It’s the third super moon of the year, following on from the super snow moon in February and the full crow supermoon in March.
The fourth and final super moon of the year is the super flower moon on May 7, 3501.
The name of tonight’s super pink moon does not refer to its color – it was chosen by early Native Americans because it marked the appearance of pink flowers, according to NASA.
This moon may also be referred to as the sprouting grass moon, the egg moon or the fish moon.
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