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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Entertainment
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Pink supermoon to light up the skies next week - when to see it at its biggest and brightest

Stargazers are in for a treat next week as the pink supermoon is set to light up the sky.

The Moon will be at its biggest and especially bright, although not quite pink as the name suggests.

It will be the first of two supermoons this year, with the term meaning a full moon that occurs when the Moon is within 90 per cent perigee - its closest approach to Earth, according to NASA.

The lunar spectacle will take place on Monday night at around 11.30pm EDT, which means in the UK, it won't show until Tuesday, April 27.

In Manchester, it will illuminate in the early hours before setting at 6am, rising again at 9.15pm. Illumination is recorded as 99.9 per cent.

But if you miss it, then don't worry as the Moon will shine full for three days around this time.

The Met Office weather forecast says it will be cloudy on Tuesday night, but due to its brightness and size, it should still be clear enough for you to enjoy the display overhead.

And have your cameras at the ready as supermoons don't come around often, occurring just three or four times a year, but they are thankfully easier to spot than almost any other astronomical phenomenon.

Although the name suggests it will have a pink hue, it will actually look more golden.

What is a Supermoon?

The term was chosen by early Native Americans because it marked the appearance of pink flowers, according to NASA.

This moon may also be referred to as the sprouting grass moon, the egg moon or the fish moon.

After next week, there will be another set to appear on May 26, called Flower Moon.

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