The first supermoon of 2021 will appear on Monday night, although it will likely not appear “pink” in color.
The supermoon is scheduled to arrive around 11:33 p.m. EDT, according to the Farmer’s Almanac. This will be a full moon appearing as a supermoon when the moon is at its closest point to Earth.
Supermoons are full moons that appear larger in the sky than usual, though the difference may not be much to the naked eye. During a supermoon, the full moon could appear up to 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than when it is at its farthest point from Earth, according to Space.com.
“Different publications use slightly different thresholds for deciding which full moons qualify as supermoons, but for 2021, all agree the two full moons in April and May are supermoons,” NASA’s Gordon Johnston wrote in a blog post.
April’s full moon is designated as the “pink moon,” but the name is not directly related to its color. It is called the “pink moon” because of its timing near flower-blooming season, getting its name after the herb pink moss.
The moss is one of the earliest spring flowers to appear in the U.S.
Those who miss the “pink moon” on Monday can see it Tuesday and Wednesday night as well, but the moon will reach its fullest phase on Monday night.
April’s “pink moon” is one of two supermoons expected to take place this year, with the second supermoon scheduled to take place on May 26. It is expected to appear larger and shine brighter than the April moon, according to forecasters.