Catch The Final Supermoon of 2020 (aka Super Flower Moon) As It Rises On Thursday
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This Thursday, 7th May, Earth will witness its fourth and last supermoon of 2020, which is also known as a Super Flower Moon.
Despite the pretty name, the moon will not look like a flower. The name is derived from the colorful blossoms of spring that occur at the same time.
What makes this moment special is that the next supermoon will only appear in April 2021, almost a whole year away!
So on the night of 7th May, people on Earth can witness the supermoon, a full moon that closely coincides with its perigee, or the moon’s closest point to Earth in its monthly orbit.
From here, the moon looks up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than a normal full moon.
Best time to look at the supermoon
According to Forbes, the best time to witness the supermoon is when it’s close to the horizon as it rises. Do take note that the moon will be rising from the East-Southeast, almost in opposition to sunset.
This particular moment is great to watch the moon because you can see how much bigger it looks in contrast to landmarks as it rises.
Jamie Carter of Forbes also writes that you’ll be looking at the moon through the thickest part of Earth’s atmosphere, which will give it a pale yellow to deep orange hue.
As the moon enters its full phase, it will be entirely lit-up by the Sun and can be seen from Earth at 10:45 Universal Time, or 6:45pm local time on Thursday, 7th May. However, those on Peninsular Malaysia can only see this when the moon rises at 7.20pm.
If you miss the moonrise, don’t worry as it’ll still hang around in the sky all through the night. But don’t forget to check the weather forecast for your location in case it rains.
Happy viewing!
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