The largest and last supermoon event of 2019.
A rare “super worm equinox moon” will be visible tonight in the Southern Hemisphere.
Tonight’s event is the largest and last supermoon event of 2019.
The supermoon, the Super Worm Moon, lights up the skies from around 8PM local time.
The ‘perigee syzygy’, the scientific name for the super moon, happens rarely – when the moon sits less than 360,000km from Earth.
Very occasionally the moon comes under 360,000km from the Earth.
Super worm equinox moon
What’s up with the name?
The word equinox is attributed to perfect timing with the March equinox.
During the equinox, night and day all over the Earth is of equal length. This year is the first time since 1981 that both a full moon and March Equinox appears on the same day.
So whats with the worm part of the name?
In the northern hemisphere, full moons get their name from Native American tribes. The super worm equinox moon coincides with the time of year when earthworms begin to emerge from the thawing winter soil.
Cool, huh?