If you’re a fan of stargazing, make sure you look up this evening.
Tonight, a Super Worm Moon is set to appear, during which time our lunar satellite will look both bigger and brighter in the night sky.
A full moon occurs when the moon is located on the opposite side of the Earth as the sun, meaning its face is fully illuminated.
Meanwhile, this will also be a supermoon as the moon’s orbit will be at its closest to the Earth.
Best of all, the whole event will be visible with the naked eye, so there’s no need to splash out on expensive equipment to get involved.
(Image: Peter Komka/EPA-EFE/REX)
The Super Worm Moon is set to peak at around 17:48 tonight, but should also be visible through the entire evening.
This particular full moon is known by several names, including the Worm Moon, Lenten Moon or the Sap Moon.
NASA explained: “The full Moon in March is known by many names: the Worm Moon, Sap Moon, Crow Moon, Crust Moon, Sugar Moon, and Lenten Moon.
“According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the native tribes of what is now the northern and eastern US named this the Worm Moon after the earthworm casts that appear as the ground thaws.
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“The more northern tribes knew this as the Crow Moon, when the cawing of crows signalled the end of winter.
“Other northern names are the Crust Moon, because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing by day and freezing at night, or the Sap Moon as this is the time for tapping maple trees. Europeans called this the Lenten Moon.”
If you miss tonight’s supermoon, do not fear – the Super Worm Moon is the second of four supermoons for 2020.
The next two are set to take place on April 8 and May 7.
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