MILLIONS of stargazers across Ireland and Britain will be able to see the biggest and brightest moon in 70 years later today.
Tonight’s ‘supermoon’ will mark the closest that the full moon has come to Earth since in almost seven decades.
The once-in-a-lifetime spectacle will mean the moon will appear 14 per cent bigger and 30 per cent brighter than on a normal night.
Breathtaking images have already been captured of the supermoon which was also visible across the skies of Ireland and Britain last night.
But tonight will be the last chance for stargazers to catch a glimpse of the sight, which will not reoccur again until November 25, 2034.
Here’s everything you need to know about the supermoon and how to see it:
When can you see it?
The moon came closest to the Earth (just the 221,525 miles) at 11:23 GMT this morning, but was invisible due to the time of day.
Star gazers in Ireland and Britain will have to wait until around 5pm to see the full moon – known as “perigee” – in all its glory.
Sunset in Ireland will take place at 16.30, with the moon expected to rise at around 17.04.
In Britain, where sunset will occur slightly earlier at 16:15, the moon rise will be best viewed slightly before 17.00.
What is a ‘supermoon’?
Supermoons occur when a full moon is closest to Earth.
The moon’s orbit is oval-shaped which means it is sometimes closer and sometimes further away.
Supermoon isn’t a scientific name – that would be perigee-syzygy – but it makes for a great hashtag and does what it says on the tin.
Why is this one special?
Tonight’s moon rise is going to appear the biggest and biggest since 1948 – back when the Beatles were toddlers and the Berlin Wall was nothing more than a Soviet pipe dream.
"The full moon of November 14 is not only the closest full moon of 2016, but also the closest full moon to date in the 21st century," NASA said in a statement.
"The full moon won't come this close to Earth again until 25 November 2034."
Where can you see it?
Rural areas with little light pollution make for the best spots to view the moon rise – cloud cover permitting.
Failing that, the higher up you are, the better.
Keep an eye on weather forecasts across Ireland and Britain, which can be found here and here.
Enjoy!
