Why tonight’s full moon will be a different colour to normal and the best time to see it
OK guys, it's the Flower Moon today (23 May) and I'm sure we're all very excited for all the new energy it's set to bring.
Now, we already know all about how the Flower Moon will affect you according to your zodiac sign, the top four signs most affected by the cosmic phenomenon and where exactly you can see it.
But, you may be curious as to know why tonight’s full moon, which is one of the largest and brightest full Moons of the year, will be a different colour to normal as well as the best time to see it.
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For some context, the Flower Moon (which is the most commonly-used moniker), has also been referred to as the Planting Moon, and the Milk Moon, and the Hare Moon throughout the years.
It got its name, allegedly, because many flowers bloom in the month of May.
So, to see it for yourself, Royal Museums Greenwich (RMG) suggest: "Choose a location that allows an unobstructed view of the Moon for several hours, and try to set up away from buildings and other sources of light.
"If you want to focus just on the Moon, you'll need a telephoto lens or telescope. These aren't necessary if you're trying for more of a landscape photograph, but just remember that if you want to include specific landmarks or features then you'll need to plan ahead for the best shot.
"Find out when the Moon will rise and set, work out where in the sky you might want it to be, and pick the perfect spot to capture everything together."
Now, tonight's full moon will be slightly different from your average one due to two things.
The first is known as the Moon Illusion - a name given to the fact that a full moon close to the horizon looks especially large.
It's actually an optical illusion which happens because the moon is much closer to objects like trees and buildings.
Because of this, the moon appears to dwarf such object - which only adds to its grandeur.
And that's not all we have to look forward to as Sky at Night explains that the Flower Moon have have an orange hue - if you're lucky to catch it right.
This happens because sunlight bounces off the Moon and passes through the earth's atmosphere.
Here's the science-y bit,
The outlet shares: "When it's closer to the horizon, moonlight has to pass through a thicker part of earth's atmosphere to get to our retinas.
"This causes scattering of blue and violet light, meaning that what Moonlight does make it through appears redder."
From the UK, the Flower Moon will rise in the southeast and be visible from roughly 9:59pm tonight.
It won't be rising too high in the sky, so we'll have to keep our fingers crossed for a clear horizon to see it.
It will then move across the southern part of the sky before it sets in the southwest in the early hours, around dawn tomorrow (24 May).
So, we can all look forward to a big old orange full moon this evening!
Rhiannon Ingle