April's Super "Pink" Moon Will Be This Year's Biggest And Brightest Full Moon!
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On April 7, 2020, the skies will be lit up with a Super "Pink" Moon — the brightest and biggest full moon we will encounter all year! Though Earth's natural satellite promises to be spectacular, that night, those hoping for a pink hue will be disappointed. April's full moon gets its name from pink wildflowers called phlox that bloom in early spring. Though the moniker is misleading, it is undoubtedly better than the alternative nicknames, which include sprouting grass moon, fish moon, and hare moon!
Supermoons, which are usually about seven percent bigger and 15 percent brighter than the average full moon, occur when the full moon coincides with lunar perigee — the Moon's closest point to Earth in its orbit. On April 7, 2020, the moon will be about 221,773 miles (356,909 km) away from Earth. This is just a few hundred miles further than the November 2016 supermoon, which at 221,524 miles (356,508 km), was the closest distance we have experienced in recent history.
The distance between the Moon and Earth varies because of the satellite's oval orbit, which brings it closer to and farther from Earth as it goes around. The farthest point in this ellipse, called the apogee, takes the moon approximately 253,000 miles (407,164 km) away from Earth. In contrast, during perigee, the Moon generally comes to within 226,000 miles (363, 711 km) of Earth.
Though some people believe that a supermoon's proximity results in earthquakes and tidal waves, scientists have found no correlation. They recommend using the rare opportunity of a supermoon to capture and share spectacular pictures and to reflect on how fortunate we all are to be living on this beautiful planet.
Resources: NASA.gov, earthsky.org
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288 Comments
- carlettabout 4 yearseye missed it
- ive-loveyouabout 4 yearssorry you missed it i did too
- memer09about 4 yearssame here
- 1harrypotterfanabout 4 yearsSame here.
- icecreambunnyabout 4 yearsWOW :3
- royalqueen16thabout 4 yearsDang it, I missed it! 🌙
- juneaalaabout 4 yearsI loved it( it was all look cool)
- getrekdbyat-rexabout 4 yearsi was probably asleep by then so i didn't see it anyways
- rilynn_ringlerabout 4 yearsI missed it.
- cegizeme-156955105273about 4 yearsi saw it too it was awsome
- matilda509about 4 yearsI bet it was probably really cool. I can believe I didn´t even know about it! I was so bummed when I missed it! To the people who saw it: You were lucky!
- greekoabout 4 yearsI wonder, how bright exactly it will be.
- carlettabout 4 yearsIt has happened
- galaxycat26about 4 yearsthey call it the pink moon because pink wild flowers come out right around the time the moon comes. also, THAT still doesn't make any sense anyway.
- chocochexabout 4 yearsbut it's the perfect time to unleash you inner cat!
- icecreambunnyabout 4 yearsIm allergic to cats. O.O
- chocochexabout 4 yearswear warm pajamas!
- icecreambunnyabout 4 yearsdoesn't it say that in the article?
- computer45about 4 yearsTrue!
- rekekeeeabout 4 yearsI didn't see the moon to well. So sad I missed it :(
- matilda509about 4 yearsSame! #sadness