Sky show Wednesday night: Bright Venus and last supermoon of 2020
What defines a supermoon?
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Get ready for a sky show above Minnesota Wednesday night.
Bright Venus radiates in the western sky after sunset. And the final supermoon of 2020 will rise in the east a few minutes before 8 p.m.
Here are some viewing tips for Wednesday night.
Mostly clear skies
Meteorological conditions across Minnesota will be nearly ideal for sky-watching. Skies will be mostly clear as cumulus clouds evaporate in the evening sky by sunset. NOAA’s NAM 3 km resolution model shows mostly clear conditions across Minnesota by 10 p.m. Wednesday.
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The atmosphere over Minnesota is also very dry Wednesday night. Dew points in the teens north to 30s south means crystal clear air with little or no haze to obstruct visibility.
Stars and planets should appear sharp in the sky.
Bright Venus in the west
Step outside around 9 p.m. You’ll still see the glow of sunset on the northwest horizon. That brilliant silvery light in the western sky is Venus. Here’s what you will see at 9:16 p.m. in the western sky from timeanddate.com.
Flower supermoon in the southeast
Now, turn over your left shoulder toward the southeast. You’ll see the bright May Flower Supermoon rising in the southeast sky.
What defines a supermoon?
Supermoons are defined by the moons of the year that are closest to earth. The closer proximity reflects more sunlight back toward the earth. It’s like holding a flashlight closer.
Supermoons can be 7 to 15 percent brighter than other moons of the year. The moon will be full at 5:45 a.m. CDT.
Here’s more on supermoons from NASA.
The next full Moon will be on Thursday morning, May 7, 2020, appearing opposite the Sun (in Earth-based longitude) at 6:45 a.m. EDT. The Moon will appear full for about three days around this time, from Tuesday evening through Friday morning.
This is the last in a series of four supermoons. The term "supermoon" was coined by the astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979 and refers to either a new or full Moon that occurs within 90% of perigee, its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit. Under this definition, in a typical year there can be three or four full supermoons in a row and three or four new supermoons in a row. For 2020, the four full Moons from February through May meet this 90% threshold.
Grab a coat and enjoy the sky show!