We have got a good news for sky watchers. Super Snow Moon as the NASA is calling it, the full moon will be the biggest and largest of the year and until 2020. This Supermoon will happen on February 19, 2019, Tuesday.
The upcoming super snow moon is going to larger and brighter than the January’s super blood wolf moon eclipse. It will definitely attract the eyeballs to the sky. There will be a total of 3 supermoons in 2019. The next full moon will be seen March. Generally, two to four supermoons happen in a given calendar year.
So, for the upcoming extravaganzt sky spectacle, here is everything you need to know about it, including the best time and place, how to watch supermoon online (live streaming).
What is the super snow moon?
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A supermoon occurs when a moon is both full and at its perigee at the same point of time. Perigee is the nearest point of moon to the Earth on its orbit. Due to being closest to the Earth, the moon appears larger and brighter in the sky.
You should know that moon’s orbit is not a perfect circle. It’s because of continuous gravitational pull from both the sun and the Earth. As a result, it varies in distance from the Earth throughout the year. Opposite to perigee is known as apogee. At apogee, the moon looks smallest in the sky.
‘Snow Moon’ is the historic term coined by certain Native American tribes in the US. The second full moon is referred by the name of Snowmoon because of the typical snowfall during this time of year. It’s second name, more grim name is the ‘hunger moon’ due to the heavy snowfall.
When is super snow moon? Date & Time
The moon will reach its peak fullness on 19th February at 10:54 am ET, but most of the Americans won’t be able to see it at that time. They will have to wait for the moonrise, around 5:30 and 6:30 pm local time. You can get your best shot at capturing a good supermoon photo at the moonrise. It’s due to the optical illusion that moon appears larger than it is actually, when it is close to the horizon.
When is the next full moon (Supermoon)?
March 20 will follow the next full moon. It will also be a supermoon, but smaller than this one. During the rest of the year, the rest of the moons will be normal-sized full moons. Apart from supermoons, there will also be a few more moon-related astronomical events during the year.
- July 2: You can get a glimpse of a total solar eclipse in Chile or Argentina. Make sure to wear eclipse glasses.
- July 16: In regions of Europe, Asia, and North & South America, a partial lunar eclipse will be seen.
- Dec. 26: On the Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, an annular solar eclipse will be visible in Eastern Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa. It’s like a total solar eclipse, but the moon is too far away to completely shroud the Sun. As a result, the eclipse looks like a ring of fire.
