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Completed Netflix, baked your weekly sourdough and thoroughly done with Zoom calls? This week might be another week at home for many of us, but at least the night’s sky is providing some much-needed entertainment.
As well as the Eta Aquarids meteor shower, which peaked on the night of May 5-6 but are still visible, there’ll be a super ‘flower moon’. Who needs theatres and restaurants, right? 🙃
The full moon will be at its biggest and brightest on May 7. It’s called a ‘flower moon’ because people used to track the changing seasons by the lunar calendar, and the May full moon is associated with spring blooms and abundant wildflowers. It’s also sometimes known as the ‘corn planting moon’, ‘mother's moon’ and ’milk moon’.
Why so super? According to Nasa, the term ‘super moon’ refers to ‘either a new or full Moon that occurs within 90 per cent of perigee, its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit.’ Basically, this ‘flower moon’ is taking place when the moon is close to the earth, which means it’ll look really bright and big in the sky. Super moons appear at their biggest when they are closest to the horizon – that’s when they are rising and setting.
So look up at dusk for the best view. Who knows: maybe the super moon will put you in a super mood.
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