Pink moon: Biggest supermoon of 2020 illuminates the sky
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Its name is a northern Native American reference to an early-blooming wildflower called phlox subulata which are bright pink in colour and are first seen across North America as spring begins.
The biggest full moon of 2020 known as the 'pink supermoon' illuminated the night sky all across the globe on Tuesday.
Its name is a northern Native American reference to an early-blooming wildflower called phlox subulata which are bright pink in colour and are first seen across North America as spring begins.
It occurs when the moon reaches its closest position to the Earth, known as the perigee, making the satellite appear bigger and brighter than usual.
It was about 0.1 per cent closer to Earth than the March full moon was, making it the biggest supermoon of 2020, NASA reported.
Moreover, it appeared 7 per cent larger than an average full moon.
Interestingly, the moon itself didn't look pink, but it appeared more golden as it rose above the horizon due to an effect caused by the planet's atmosphere, similar to how the sun appears more red as it rises and sets, according to NASA.
April's full moon has also been known as the "sprouting grass moon" or "egg moon," heralding other first signs of spring.