Every once in a while, it’s good to gaze up at the sky. We might see surreal sights like the Geminid meteor shower, sundogs or even a Super Snow Moon. This year the Super Snow Moon falls on Tuesday, February 19. It is the closest, biggest and brightest moon of the year. Some other nicknames for it are the Storm Moon, Hunger Moon and Bone Moon.
What is Super Snow Moon? The science explained.
A full moon occurs every month when we can see the moon in its entirety. It happens when rays of the sun completely illuminate the the side of the moon that faces our blue planet. NASA explains when a full moon can be termed ‘super’,
“When a full moon appears at perigee (closest point in its orbit around Earth), it is slightly brighter and larger than a regular full moon—and that’s where we get a supermoon.”
It is called the snow moon because it occurs during the coldest time of the year. Usually, there’s heavy snowfall in the month of February (particularly in the northern hemisphere).
How to see it in India (and photograph it)?
The Super Snow Moon will peak on 19 February 2019 at 21:23 pm. All you have to do is step out and watch it. Binoculars or a small telescope can also be used. If you’re planning to use a smartphone to photograph the moon, you can do it on Monday night as well as at moonrise (around 6 pm) on Tuesday. For best results, avoid zooming in while clicking and place the device on a tripod or solid surface.
Until then, here are some breathtaking pictures from 2018
Supermoon over @miamiuniversity – January 31, 2018. #MiamiOH #Supermoon #Supermoon2018 pic.twitter.com/9xHKlBz8hX
— Miami University (@miamiuniversity) February 5, 2018
Super Moon / Full Moon over an icy lake an hour after the lunar eclipse (super blood moon) on January 31, 2018. What a night it was!https://t.co/PA3wKxWXgE#Finland #supermoon #fullmoon #photography #art #artforsale pic.twitter.com/yxBwhig7Xu
— Ismo Raisanen (@IsmoRaisanen) February 1, 2018
You can lose a ball but not the moon..#Supermoon2018 #Superbluemoon #dog #poole #dorset @StormHour @more_poole @DorsetMag @itvmeridian @BBCEarth pic.twitter.com/NKiwIWTw3k
— Denise Andrews (@minimonkey74) February 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/dabeard/status/958926845528985601
Once in a blue moon, a blue moon is classed as the second full moon in a calendar month.
But this is also a supermoon appearing 14% bigger & 30% brighter than usual #Moonshot #Supermoon2018 #Ntnature pic.twitter.com/LuUoNpwdeh— Wicken Fen (@WickenFenNT) January 31, 2018
We won’t be able to see a larger moon until December 2026, so make sure you don’t miss it.