Objects in sky may be closer than they appear these next several months.
Things kicked off Monday evening with the first of three straight supermoons, and we had some great viewing weather.
The super 'pink moon' rose in the east-southeast sky this evening at 7:24 and set Tuesday morning at 6:26. Pink is the name given to April's full moon. As with other moon names, the title is spiritual in origin and stems from the Native Americans. It's around this time of year that the color pink starts to infuse the northern hemisphere after a long, cold, grey winter - namely from cherry blossoms and other vegetation. Spiritually, the name signifies rebirth and renewal.
A moon is designated as "super" when its full phase also coincides with its closest approach to Earth in orbit, called the perigee. Typically, this will make the moon appear roughly 7% bigger and about 15% brighter than a normal moon, but it could look as much as 14% bigger and 30% brighter! For some, however, this subtle difference will be hard to tell with the naked eye.
Next month, during the morning hours this time, May's super 'flower' moon will brighten our skies. The name was generated by Native American tribes because of the time of year when spring flowers appeared in abundance. This moon has also been known as the Corn Planting Moon and the Milk Moon.
Then in June, the super 'strawberry moon' will reach its peak on the afternoon of the 24th. The name of the moon stems from the peak of the strawberry harvesting season. This moon has also been known as the Rose Moon and the Honey Moon.