If stargazing isn’t on your plans for this week, it should be as a super pink moon will be visible from the sky and we’re pretty sure you’re not going to want to miss it.
Skies are set to be brighter than usual tonight, lit up by the super pink moon – the biggest moon of the year so far.
Drawing inspiration from Native American culture, the pink moon isn’t actually pink in colour though. Named after a wildflower that blooms in the US in early April, the pink moon will have a pale red-orange tinge to it.
What is a super moon though?
Super moons happen when a new or full moon coincides with perigee, which is the term used to describe the moon’s closest point to Earth in its monthly orbit. As the moon doesn’t orbit the earth in a perfect circle, a few times a year the perigee lines up with the most dramatic phases of the moon – resulting in a super moon that appears up to 14 per cent bigger and 30 per cent brighter than usual.
Also referred to as the sprouting grass moon, the egg moon and the fish moon, the pink moon is the third super moon of the year. Predicted to be the biggest and brightest so far this year, the best time for Irish people to look up falls around 3:30 in the morning.
So set your alarms and keep your eyes on the sky.
