The Last “Supermoon” of 2020 is Here
Thanks to an optical illusion in the sky, the moon will appear bigger and brighter than normal in the San Francisco Bay Area in the night, during what astronomers call a “supermoon.”
Because the sun is about 50,000 miles closer to the earth than at its furthest point – and it’s a full or new moon – the moon will appear larger and brighter than most full moons. To be considered a supermoon, it has to be within 224,851 miles (361,863 kilometers) of our planet, as measured from the centers of the moon and Earth.
When is the best time to view the supermoon?
The best time to observe the supermoon is when the moon is near the horizon during either moonrise or moonset, thanks to having objects in the foreground (like buildings or trees) to provide reference points for estimating the moon’s size.
San Francisco Moonrise/Moonset Times for Ideal Viewing
- May 6 – Moonrise – 7:30pm
- May 7 – Moonset – 6:30am
- May 7 – Moonrise – 8:44pm
On May 7th, the Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 3:45 am pst.
This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Flower Moon because this was the time of year when spring flowers appeared in abundance.
This is also the last of four supermoons for 2020.
Sources: EarthSky, Timeanddate
