What time can I see the supermoon in the UK tomorrow?
SUPERMOONS happen when the moon is full, and its orbit is closest to earth, making it appear larger than normal.
But what time will you be able to see it in the UK tomorrow, and when will it happen again? Here’s all you need to know.
What time is the supermoon visible in the UK tomorrow?
When you look up into the sky tomorrow, you may find yourself yourself doing a double-take.
Due to an effect called the Moon Illusion, the Moon will seem 30 per cent brighter and 14 per cent larger than when it’s at its furthest point from Earth (also known as its apogee).
The moon will appear huge compared to the rest of the surrounding landscape, but this is an illusion, caused by our brain’s inability to understand that the sky we live under is a dome.
The supermoon will hit peak illumination at about 6:38pm this evening, but the best time to see it will be following the moonrise at 9.47pm.
The Met Office’s latest weather forecast suggests Brits will have a clear sight of the phenomenon, with showers “or occasional longer spells of rain in the north, dry with sunny spells elsewhere”.
How to see a supermoon
This strikingly enlarged moon – or so it appears – will rise up from the east.
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If you’re planning to observe it, it’s therefore important you have a viewpoint that is east facing, and doesn’t have any buildings or structures blocking your view.
You won’t need any specialist equipment as it will be clearly visible, though it may be worth getting a pair of binoculars if you want a clearer view of the lunar terrain.
When is the next supermoon?
The supermoon tomorrow is known as a Buck Moon or Thunder Moon, because of the summer storms that occur in July.
It’s also referred to as the hay moon.
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The next supermoons will take place on August 1, 2023, and August 31, 2023.
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But they’re just one kind of full moon and there are others happening in the next few months.
These are the different types to look out for, and their (amazingly) specific timings:
- August 12, 2022 (2.36am) – Sturgeon Moon
- September 10, 2022 (10.59am) – Corn/Harvest Moon
- October 9 (9.55pm) – Hunter’s Moon
- November 8 (11.02am) – Beaver Moon
- December 8 (4.08am) – Cold Moon