Getting over Netflix? What if we told you there’s a once-in-a-lifetime show on tonight and you don’t need a TV to see it? This evening, April 8 marks the arrival of the Pink Supermoon, which, while not exactly once-in-a-lifetime is still a pretty awesome spectacle to check out. It’s the perfect distraction from all the chaos and confusion of COVID-19 and a welcome respite from the dull indoors. Who knows, you might even find yourself learning something tonight. But before we get too ahead of ourselves, what is the Pink Supermoon?
What is the Pink Supermoon?
A Supermoon occurs when a full moon is especially close to the Earth, making it appear larger and brighter than normal. Tonight, the moon will pass within 356,907 kilometres of Earth, with experts tipping it to be the biggest moon of the year. Supermoons are split into a bevy of different types, all with wildly brutal sounding names. Super Blue Blood Moon and Super Blood Wolf Moon are just two examples. This April 8 moon is decidedly less intimidating, named the Pink Supermoon.
This Pink Supermoon has already made its way across the Northern Hemisphere where it was reported as the biggest moon of the year. Tonight’s moon will appear up to 14 per cent bigger and 30 per cent brighter than other times of the year.
How to See the Pink Supermoon
The most important factor in whether you’ll catch a glimpse of the Pink Supermoon is timing. You must be prepared to stay up a little later than normal, but the good news is, with so many of us working from home, it’s not exactly like we have far to travel to the office tomorrow. The best time to see the Pink Supermoon will be 11:00pm AEST. If you really want to stay abreast of how the Pink Supermoon is travelling, you can download the Supermoon app on Google Play and iTunes.
Aside from timing, the other aspect with the potential to ruin your Pink Supermoon viewing is pollution and cloud cover. But in an ironic turn of events, air pollution is significantly down at the moment, due to the reduction in industry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the Northern Hemisphere, Supermoon fans reported that reduced pollution made it easier than ever to see the natural wonder, but cloud cover remains the immediate concern. Sydney is forecast for cloudy conditions, so you might be in for a bit of battle, with conditions in Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne not looking much better.
For those looking to capture a great image of the Pink Superman, your best bet is to set yourself up with a steep vantage point to the east. From there, lower your exposure and crack out the long lens. Happy snapping team.
Still have questions? We’ve got you covered.
General FAQ
The optical effect is caused by the moon's elliptical orbit bringing it closer to the Earth, making the moon appear larger and brighter.
For Australians, the best time to see the Pink Supermoon is 11:00pm AEST on April 8, 2020.
Most smartphone cameras will allow you to zoom and lower your exposure to see the details in the Pink Supermoon. If you have a DSLR, position yourself to the east of the moon and hope for low cloud cover.
