There’s still time to see the last supermoon of the year!

Cameras at the ready for the Super Flower Moon


supermoon
On 5 May 2020

If you missed out on spotting the supermoons earlier in the year, fear not – there's another one coming this week. The Super Flower Moon will rise over the UK on Thursday, May 7, and will be the last you'll be able to see for months. A full moon is dubbed a supermoon when it coincides with the moon being at its closest point to Earth (or within 90 percent of Earth), making it appear brighter and bigger than normal; May's full moon will pass within 360,000 km of Earth and is the last in a series of four supermoons.

April's Pink Moon over Edinburgh

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The full moon in May is also known as the Corn Planting Moon and Milk Moon, according to NASA. According to the agency, the Maine Farmer's Almanac first published names for the full moons in the 1930s, and May's full moon was given the name the Flower Moon by North American tribes, for the flowers that are abundant at this time of year. Its also known as the Vesak Festive Moon, as it corresponds to the Buddhist festival Vesak, which honours the birth, enlightenment and death of Guatama Buddha. April's supermoon was known as the Pink Moon, named after pink flowers which bloom in early spring, while March's full moon is known as the Worm Moon, named so because it's traditionally the time of year that earthworm casts would be seen on the ground again following winter.

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How to see the next supermoon in the UK

The next full moon is on May 7 at 11.45am in the UK, so you’ll have to wait until sunset to see the moon at its brightest. Sky gazers might also be able to spot the planet Jupiter, which should appear as a bright star to the upper left of the moon.

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