Inner_Vision/iStock(NEW YORK) — If you’re looking for something cool to watch while staying at home amid the coronavirus, turn off the TV on Tuesday and look up at the sky.
A supermoon will grace the skies on April 7.
Supermoons occur several times a year when the moon becomes closest to Earth in orbit. This one will be the largest and is named the “Pink Moon” — although the name won’t actually reflect the color stargazers will see.
According to NASA, the Maine Farmer’s Almanac published “Indian” names for the moons in the 1930s. The Almanac refers to the April full moon, or the first full moon in spring, as the “pink moon.” This name comes from herb moss pink, which is one of the earliest flowers to bloom in spring.
Despite the name, the moon will appear a golden or yellowish color and fade to a bright white due to optical effect on the atmosphere, according to NASA.
The best time to marvel at the moon will be around 10:35 p.m. to midnight Eastern Standard Time, though the moon will be visible through the early hours of Wednesday morning.
The next and final supermoon of the year will occur on May 7.
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