Have you heard? The Super Pink Moon rises TONIGHT and we can't wait! But hold on, what IS a supermoon? Supermoons occur when a Full Moon coincides with perigee, meaning when the Moon is at its closest to Earth in its elliptical orbit. Check out the photo to see how the Moon looks at both perigee and apogee (farthest from Earth, which is also known as a micromoon). The Moon's perigeal distance changes, but this particular supermoon is especially close. So to us Earthlings, the Moon will appear larger in the sky. Sadly, the Moon won't appear pink (though we wish it would!). It's nicknamed the Super Pink Moon because of a pink wildflower that blooms in North America in early spring, called Phlox subulata. The forecast for the Front Range looks fair, so step outside around 7 o’clock tonight to catch a glimpse of our breathtaking astronomical friend rising in the east.
