25 awesome images of the pink supermoon to take your mind off the pandemic
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On April 7, the biggest supermoon of the year lit up skies across the globe.
A moon is considered a "supermoon" when it's at its closet point to Earth in orbit.
Since it was the first full moon in Spring, it was also considered a pink moon — named after pink flowers that bloom early in the season.
April's supermoon was the biggest and brightest of the year, dazzling the globe as a welcome distraction during the coronavirus pandemic.
The term "supermoon" was coined by an astrologer in 1979, and references the moment when the moon reaches its closet point to Earth, making it appear larger and brighter in the sky.
And because it was the first full moon in April, it was also considered a pink moon, named after pink flowers that bloom in the springtime.
If you missed out on this awe-striking event, these breathtaking images will show you just how April's supermoon lit up globe.
On April 7, the biggest and brightest supermoon of 2020 lit up the skies.
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Source: CNN
The moon is dubbed a "supermoon" when it reaches its closest point to Earth in orbit, making it appear larger in the sky.
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Source: Insider
This meant that the moon was roughly 25,000 miles closer to Earth on Tuesday.
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Source: The Guardian
Astrologer Richard Nolle coined the term "supermoon" in 1979, but the International Astronomical Union hasn't officially adopted it. According to NASA, most astronomers would call it "a perigean full moon," but supermoon has been widely been accepted as the common word.
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A supermoon can appear up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than a full moon that's located at the furthest point from Earth.
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Source: USA Today
Because this was the first full moon in April, the moon was also dubbed a "pink moon," named after pink phlox flowers that bloom during the season.
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Source: Insider
Other terms for an April moon have been "sprouting grass moon," "egg moon," and "fish moon."
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Though the moon itself wasn't actually pink, when it rose above the horizon its color appeared more golden, due to an affect by our atmosphere.
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Source: CNN
The supermoon could be seen over tourist attractions, buildings, and wildlife across the globe.
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In New York City, the supermoon aligned itself perfectly with the tip of the Empire State Building.
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In Russia, the supermoon was spotted behind the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow.
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People in London could see the supermoon rise above the Shard, a popular tourist attraction and skyscraper that overlooks the city.
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This photo shows the supermoon settling behind the massive "Mother of the Motherland" statue in Kiev, Ukraine, which stands 340 feet tall.
Valentyn Ogirenko/REUTERS
Source: Atlas Obscura
In Strasbourg, France, the supermoon brought some holiday cheer on Holy Week, as it rose behind a statue depicting Christ.
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In the UK, the supermoon made the Mow Cop castle in Cheshire, England, appear silhouetted in the foreground.
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Over Ankara, Turkey, the supermoon rose above Kocatepe Mosque, the largest in the city.
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Source: Expedia
And in Japan, the supermoon was seen rising above a Ferris wheel at the Kasai Seaside Park.
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The supermoon could also be seen into the next morning. In this photo, the moon is seen peering from behind the clouds at 6:30 a.m. over a monument in Sunderland, England.
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Source: CNN
Some took the opportunity to photograph themselves holding the moon in the air.
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According to the Farmer's Almanac, there will be a total of three supermoons in 2020. The first occurred in March, and the third will occur on May 7.
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Source: Farmer's Almanac
Typically, each month has one full moon. But this year, there will be two full moons in the month of October, a rare event known as a "blue moon."
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Source: CNN
To make it even more rare, the second full moon in October will occur on Halloween. This makes it a "once in a blue moon" event.
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Source: CNN
But April's will take the cake as the biggest of 2020, dazzling the sky as the globe copes with the novel coronavirus outbreak.
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At a time when millions have been infected, hundreds of thousands have died from the illness, and billions are ordered to stay in their homes, a full moon can remind us that we are all under the same sky.
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Source: USA Today
"When all feels troubled on the planet, looking up invokes a sense of wonder and promise," Jackie Faherty, an astrophysicist at the American Museum of Natural History, told USA Today. "A simple event such as a full moon that reminds people to look to the sky can be just the escape that most people need right now."
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Source: USA Today
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