Singapore – The first of only two supermoons in 2021 is visible for viewing starting Tuesday (Apr 27). Although it is a pretty sight, the moon is not really pink but looks more like a giant egg yolk on the sky.
The pink supermoon has risen worldwide, and social media is filled with images by observers marvelling at its beauty.
Here’s the supermoon from Texas, USA.
Tonight’s #Supermoon as seen from Kemah,Tx. First photo taken with an IPhone 12 and second taken with Nikon P950 #PINKMOON pic.twitter.com/BjF8Vq9TSK
— Rangel Wx (@Rangel_WX) April 27, 2021
And the moon setting at the Stonehenge in Britain.
The #PinkMoon setting at Stonehenge this morning.🌕🔭💫Credit – Nick Bull pic.twitter.com/s6Sj59HnBW
— Stonehenge U.K (@ST0NEHENGE) April 26, 2021
While others confirmed that it was really pink…
Pink #Supermoon rising over Charlottesville, VA this evening. And yes, it was really very pink 😍🌔#vawx #stormhour #PinkMoon pic.twitter.com/UXB3AfyPuG
— Peter Forister 🍁🍂🍁 (@forecaster25) April 27, 2021
It looked more like an egg yolk to others.
#PinkMoon over the Manhattan Bridge. pic.twitter.com/uDqB41tnCx
— City of New York (@nycgov) April 27, 2021
Wow! Rising #PinkSupermoon in London @StormHour @ThePhotoHour @VirtualAstro #FullMoon #pinkmoon #Supermoon #moonhour pic.twitter.com/sIsU3csPej
— Peter Lewis (@PeterLewis55) April 26, 2021
Supermoons are full moons that appear about 14 per cent larger and 30 per cent brighter than when it is farthest from Earth.
The full moon at this point will be about 357,378 kilometres away from Earth which is about eight per cent closer than the average distance of a regular full moon (approximately 384,400 km).
“Different publications use slightly different thresholds for deciding which full moons qualify as supermoons, but for 2021 all agree the two full moons in April and May are supermoons,” said NASA’s Gordon Johnston.
According to NASA, the name “pink moon” for April’s full moon did not come from the colour but the herb pink moss, also known as creeping phlox, moss phlox or mountain phlox, which is one of the earliest spring flowers in the US.
Members of the public have also shared sightings of the supermoon in Singapore.
To those interested in experiencing this event, it will be visible for the next few nights. It will appear full in the sky for three days until Wednesday (Apr 28).
The next supermoon is on May 26 and will be even a little closer to the Earth. Therefore, expect it to be slightly bigger./TISG