Have you heard of the “pink super moon”, which is supposed to be visible in the sky Saturday 16th to Sunday 17th April night 2022 ? “It has no real astronomical meaning,” sweeps Michel Arnaud from Querqueville Astronomical Group (GAQ).

At the risk of frustrating star lovers, the full moon in the sky will not be covered in pink, nor will it be any larger than usual. The Supermoon Or “Super Moon” was actually put forward in 1979 by American astrologer Richard Knoll, without any real scientific basis. This expression It has since been widely popularized in part by the Anglo-Saxons and NASAregarding “communications more than astronomy”, considers Michel Arnault.

A phenomenon imperceptible to the naked eye

In fact, the full moon on the night of April 16-17 is not entirely different from the others. At least with the naked eye. Because, in fact, if the moon will be tonight at perigee, that is, at the point of its orbit closest to the Earth, “We are not able to actually see these differences, it’s just an optical illusion”Dominic Post, president of GAQ, explains.

It will certainly be closer to us, but there will be “about 11% difference” between the “classic” full moon and the moon we can see in the sky the next night, as Michel Arnaud identifies. The star will also be brighter.

red orange color

As for the color of the moon, it can vary and turn towards red-orange. “It’s partly related to the Earth’s atmosphere, which filters sunlight,” says Michel Arnault.

In spite of everything, this moon also called the “spring moon” has a symbolic and poetic character, is at the crossroads of many religions and beliefs, As NASA explains.

“If he can let people peek at the sky…”

Even if he has a lot of reservations about promoting Super Moon, Dominic Posts: “If he can let people look up at the sky and observe it, raise their heads and notice that ‘there are fewer stars because of light pollution and a little dreaminess, that’s the thing'” the main. This is the only interest I see in this communication about this full moon…”

On the other hand, it will be possible to observe a total lunar eclipse on May 16!

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