In a treat to star-gazers, a supermoon has graced the sky today. And it's the largest and brightest our natural satellite will appear all year. Today's supermoon, also dubbed as Super Snow Moon, was visible in India during the day, but you can watch its web telecast as it dazzles the world across the globe.
You may recall in January we had the spectacle of the "super blood wolf moon" in which a lunar eclipse or "blood moon" coincided with a supermoon and the first full moon of the calendar year, traditionally called the wolf moon.
What is a Super Snow Moon or Super Hunger Moon?
Snow Moon is a name given to February moon by Native Americans and Europeans as it is a month associated with heavy snowfall. Given that it is a Super Moon today, it is being called a Super Snow Moon. Similarly, the hunger moon name comes from the lack or limited availability of food during winter. Other names of the February moon are storm moon, ice moon or bone.
When is the Super Snow Moon 2019 and will it be visible in India?
According to NASA, the Moon was closest to Earth for its orbit at 2:34 pm IST but the full moon will be at 9:24 pm IST today. Although in India, you won't be able to see the Moon at its closest because it is falling during the day, the full moon will be visible in the country. At 9:24pm IST, you can look to the sky and enjoy the sight.
How to watch Super Snow Moon Live?
You don't need any special equipments to watch the full moon. Just head over to open ground or your roof to watch the Super Moon live with your eyes, given there are no clouds. If your weather looks threatening, you can also catch sight of the full moon online, thanks to live broadcasts from the Virtual Telescope Project based in Rome, beginning at 10:00 pm, and from Slooh, beginning at 5:30 am Wednesday. The live stream can be viewed on any computer or mobile devices with a stable Internet connection.
When is the next Super Moon?
The next full moon is falling on March 20 and it will also be a Super Moon. However, the Moon won't be as close (360,772 km away) to the Earth as it is tonight. The March moon is called a Worm Moon, so the next month's Super Moon will be dubbed Super Worm Moon. Today's full moon, dubbed sometimes as Super Snow Moon, will be the brightest one of the year.
