A brilliant full moon rises at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in 2018.
NASA / Kim Shiflett
Supermoon fans, take note. This week is your last shot to bathe in the glory of a full supermoon in . The morning of Thursday, May 7, marks the peak of the “super flower moon.”
We’ve been on a run since February of extra-large full moons known as “supermoons.” The term “supermoon” can refer to either a new or a full moon that happens at or near perigee syzygy, a mouthful that means the moon is at the closest point to Earth along its orbit around our planet.
A supermoon appears subtly larger than a regular full moon. The “pink” moon of April was the biggest of the year, but May’s moon should be just as gorgeous.
Thursday morning isn ‘t your only shot at a good show. “The moon will appear full for about three days around this time, from Tuesday evening through Friday morning,” NASA said in a release .
The easiest time to catch the view is around sunset. Head outside and look in the opposite direction of the sun to see the moonrise.
If clouds foil your plans or you’re stuck inside, you can still tune in online for the Virtual Telescope Project’s live feed of the moon rising over the Rome skyline. The stream kicks off at : am PT on Thursday.
The May moon seems to have earned its “flower” nickname as an ode to spring in the Northern Hemisphere. NASA said the moniker traces back to the Maine Farmers Almanac in the 2018 s.
You’ll want to drink up the view while you can. The next full supermoon won’t come around until late April in .
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