Stargazers this evening are set to be treated to a stunning 'super snow moon'.
The name is by the affectionate moniker because it often appears along with heavy snowfall around this time of year, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.
The lunar marvel is an ongoing event that is expected to be the largest and brightest full moon of 2019 due to the almost exact overlap of the moon's perigee - its closest point to Earth - and when it is at its fullest in the 28-day lunar cycle.
The point of true perigee is only six hours away from perfectly coinciding with the fullest version of the moon, meaning it appears up to 14 per cent larger and 30 per cent brighter than normal.
It will be viewable whenever the moon rises in an area. For London that was 5.22pm GMT, New York will see the moon at 5.46pm ET and Australia will see the spectacle at 7.39pm in Sydney (local time) and 8.11pm in Melbourne.
It was officially full at 10.53am ET (3.53pm GMT), but the sun was above the horizon for most, meaning the fleeting moment was missed.
Astronomy fans hoping to catch the moon at its most impressive should be looking to the skies as soon as the sun sets for the most impressive views.
According to the lunar calendar, Australians will be able to see the supermoon early tomorrow morning.
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The moon rises over the Parthenon on the ancient Acropolis Hill in Athens, Greece. The supermoon will last all evening for viewers with clear skies around the world

The full moon rises behind a steeple with crosses of an Orthodox church in Minsk, Belarus. The phenomenon of 'supermoon' occurs when the moon is at its closest point to the earth making it appear larger than usual

The full Moon shining over the Moscow Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower. The best time to view the larger than normal moon was shortly after moonrise

The full Moon shining over Moscow's Kremlin. It's the second of three supermoons to light up the skies this year, following the Super Blood Wolf Moon that took place on January 21 and preceding yet another on March 21
'The February 2019 supermoon is special because it will be the largest full moon gracing our night skies until 2026,' said Emily Drabek-Maunder, astronomer at Royal Observatory Greenwich.
'This is because the moment the Moon is at its fullest phase is closer to the time the Moon is at perigee. Tonight, the Moon may seem brighter and will be up to 14 per cent larger than when the Moon is at apogee, or furthest away from Earth in its orbit.
'You'll be able to see the Moon over the entire night from London if the skies remain clear.
'The moon will begin its rise in the east around sunset at 5.22pm GMT, be at its highest point towards south around midnight, and then will make its descent in the west around sunrise at 7.05am GMT.'
The supermoon will rise at 7.39pm in Sydney (local time), 6.21pm in Brisbane, 8.11pm in Melbourne, 8.03pm in Adelaide, 8.12pm in Hobart, 7.04pm in Darwin and 7.02pm in Perth.
The moon will rise at 5.46pm ET for people in the US and is scheduled to set at 7.35am ET on February 20, as per the US Naval Observatory.
'Anyone with a view of the east will be able to see the supermoon from the time the sun goes down until the sun rises the following morning,' Sydney Observatory astronomer Brenan Dew told Daily Mail Australia.
'We've got our fingers crossed for good weather, as it plays a part through cloud cover. But the main thing is to have a good vantage point, such as Observatory Hill in Sydney.'
It's the second of three supermoons to light up the skies this year, following the Super Blood Wolf Moon that took place on January 21 and preceding yet another on March 21.
The spectacular lunar display is known as the 'snow moon' because it often appears along with heavy snowfall around this time of year, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.
The moon will be 221,734 miles from Earth, as per EarthSky,when it is as perigee - the closest point to Earth in its orbit.
Those looking to photograph the phenomenon will be best served shortly after moonrise - when the moon is close to the horizon and remnant light from the sun remains to illuminate the foreground.
A supermoon is a phenomena that occurs when the moon's orbit is closest to Earth making it appear full, bright, and larger than life.
'When a full moon appears at perigee [its closest point to Earth] it is slightly brighter and larger than a regular full moon—and that's where we get a 'supermoon,'' NASA explains on their website.
It'll appear especially large just as it rises above the horizon thanks to 'moon illusion' where the brain thinks the moon is bigger than it really is given its location.
Although this moon is closer to earth than the last, it will not be as colorful as the 'Super Blood Wolf Moon' eclipse that wowed the skies in January.








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