Last night’s supermoon lit up the night sky, making the lunar surface appear larger than at any point so far this year.
The striking red orb rises over cities from London to Washington, D.C., as the full moon makes its closest approach to Earth in its orbit.
It made the moon appear larger and brighter than usual (a phenomenon known as the “moon illusion”), and brightness levels peaked this morning.
but there will be more opportunities to see super moon This week – starts tonight, rising at 10.14pm UK time.
There was a supermoon over Los Angeles on Sunday night.Image: Associated Press
What Causes a Supermoon — and Why Now?
Don’t let their names fool you, supermoons are a perfectly normal part of the lunar cycle.
This happens when the Moon is at its closest to Earth and is full.
A full moon occurs every lunar cycle, lasts 29.5 days, and is about 360,000 kilometers from Earth at its closest point. That’s because the moon orbits our home in an elliptical path, rather than a precise circle, which means it’s sometimes closer and sometimes farther away.
Supermoons occur several times a year – the next one on August 1st, and more on August 31st and September 29th.
The moon rises behind Wernigerode Castle near the “Harz” mountains in Germany.Image: Associated Press
What do we know about this week’s supermoon?
If it occurs in July, it is known as the Barker Supermoon.
That’s because each full moon is named according to the month it occurs in. For example, the wolf moon in January, the snow moon in February, Strawberry Moon in June.
The stag moon is named for the antlers of stags, which grow new antlers this time of year after shedding their previous pair in the spring.
If you didn’t catch it on Sunday night or Monday morning, the best time to watch it again is tonight at 10.14pm.
But for the next few nights, the supermoon will also be visible, as it will appear 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than when the full moon is at its farthest from Earth.
How should I savor this moment?
You don’t need a telescope or any other specialized equipment to see a supermoon – your eyes will do just fine, and if you want to get a closer look, binoculars will suffice.
If you want to take pictures with your phone, make sure to use night mode, turn off the flash, and do your best to keep the device steady (a tripod is ideal if you have one).
As mentioned, if you need to go to bed early every night this week, you won’t have to wait long for the next supermoon spectacle, another one coming on August 1st.
That’s certainly less wait time than the next blood moon, another stunning lunar phenomenon that blocks sunlight and darkens the lunar sphere to a reddish hue when Earth’s orbit places it between the moon and the sun Tune.
we bought one last novemberand won’t see another one until March 2025.