Super moon in April 2020: the sky phenomenon was so impressive

2020-04-09T12:15:37.366Z

From April 7th to 8th a fascinating spectacle takes place in the sky: A gigantic moon rises. But why is the "super moon" so big?

On the night of April 7th and 8th, 2020 , a "super moon" can be seen.
The moon appears to be particularly large as it rises.
In reality, our brains play a big part in the spectacle.

Update from April 8, 2020: Tonight a particularly heavenly phenomenon delighted numerous onlookers: The super moon shone over Germany. It was so beautiful to watch the sky spectacle 357,000 kilometers away from Munich :

The super moon went down impressively at Bavaria in Munich.

First report from April 6, 2020:

Super moon in April 2020: how can you observe the impressive phenomenon?

The moon rises huge behind the horizon. It almost seems as if the glistening white disk threatens to crush the mountains, trees or houses in the distance. Instead, the moon rises and travels its usual path across the sky - it seems to be returning to its usual size.

This phenomenon occurs when the moon is particularly close in its orbit around the earth (as last seen in February last year) and is also a full moon (or also a new moon : because of the close proximity to earth, you can also recognize the spherical shape). We never see the Earth satellite that big, which is why it seems particularly gigantic to us.

Super moon in April: Around 4:35 a.m., there was a cloudless view of the full moon in many places.

Super moon on the night of April 7, 2020: when can you see it?

In the night from April 7th to 8th, the time has come again: at 8:08 p.m. the moon is closest to the earth, at 4:35 a.m. it reaches its greatest abundance. However, with 98.3 percent of the visible surface, it is already almost full beforehand, so the best time to watch is one hour earlier when the moon rises (7:08 p.m.).

This is the best way to see the super moon in April 2020

The moon rises in the east at around 7 p.m. on the evening of April 7 and rises to the south over the course of the night. Therefore, you should look east after 7 p.m. to see the super moon in all its glory.

Phenomenon in the night of April 7th to 8th, 2020: How does the super moon come about?

The phenomenon occurs because the moon does not move in a perfect circle around the earth. Instead, its distance varies . On April 7, the moon comes within 356 906 kilometers of the earth. This time is known as perigee. Sometimes the moon is more than 400,000 kilometers away. Then it is also called "mini moon", not to be confused with the mini moon that was recently discovered in orbit.

The full moon over Munich.

Giant moon: phenomenon is based on an illusion in the brain

Between these times, the size of the nearest celestial body actually varies - namely by up to 14 percent . Another factor is even more important: our own cognitive apparatus.

Even 3 hours after Super, it was still pretty great: the #Supermond over Aachen pic.twitter.com/RV3biSk71b

- Self-reader (stays at home in the library) (@Selbstleser) February 19, 2019

The moon is most impressive when it rises on the horizon. Already in the first millennium AD, the Islamic scholar Alhazen discovered that the moon is no bigger at the time of the rise than in the zenith .

Alhazen explained the deception with the objects on the horizon. The presence of mountains, trees and houses makes the moon appear larger than when it is alone in the sky .

Super moon: Heaven appears to us like a ceiling

A more recent explanation goes further. Although the scholar already calculated the height of the sky, he ignored this factor: Although the space above us is an infinite vault , we perceive it as flat (for example, we cannot see the distance between different stars from the eye Compare Earth).

Because the sky seems like a flat ceiling despite better knowledge, we subconsciously assume that the moon is relatively close - and perceive it as a rather small object.

The moon on the horizon is actually just as far away, but our brain categorizes it as "even further away than the mountains on the horizon", which we have already saved as "really big".

The moon must therefore - our brain concludes - be really gigantic. Which is also true, it is still when it is at its zenith.

Super moon in the night from April 7th to April 8th 2020: Therefore you should be ready by 7 p.m.

However, the fascination with the “super moon” does not detract from this. Perhaps on the contrary - it makes the phenomenon a little more interesting. If you want to take a closer look at the effect, you should be ready on April 7th at 7 p.m. to watch the rising moon on the horizon .

And don't worry: the illusion doesn't stop because you now know its cause. It is different with many other mysteries attached to the moon.