Where can I see the supermoon in Sweden?
Updated: On the evening of August 30th, the second of two supermoons this month will be visible over Sweden. What is a supermoon and when will you have the best chance of seeing it?
Editor's note: Article updated to change the date from August 31st to 30th.
What is a supermoon?
A supermoon is when a full moon coincides with the celestial body reaching its closest point to Earth on its elliptical orbit around us. Some astronomers frown on the term 'supermoon' and prefer to use its technical name: 'perigee-syzygy of the Earth-Moon-Sun system'. Admittedly not as catchy.
To be more exact, on Wednesday evening the full moon will be 363,667 kilometres from the Earth, as opposed to its usual average distance of some 382,900 kilometres, and will appear to be around 7 percent larger than usual.
When can I see it?
The supermoon at the end of August will take place on the evening of August 30th at around 8.30pm. If it's still light where you are at that time, you'll have to wait until after sunset to see it.
The moon will rise in the east and move south over the horizon, where it will disappear again at 4am just before sunrise on September 1st.
Unfortunately, it looks like it may be cloudy across most of Sweden on the evening of August 30th, but you never know, the weather might clear up where you are just long enough to spot a glimpse of the phenomenon.
Where is the best place to view it?
Like with most astrological events, the best place to spot the supermoon is in areas with clear skies and a low amount of light pollution, preferably high up or on the coast so you have a good view of the horizon, although you do still have a chance of spotting it in urban areas if the weather is good.
The supermoon will be closer to the Earth than usual, so you should be able to see its surface with a pair of binoculars. If you want to take pictures, you should use a camera with a telephoto lens placed on a tripod. To avoid overexposure, you may need to set the exposure manually.
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Editor's note: Article updated to change the date from August 31st to 30th.
What is a supermoon?
A supermoon is when a full moon coincides with the celestial body reaching its closest point to Earth on its elliptical orbit around us. Some astronomers frown on the term 'supermoon' and prefer to use its technical name: 'perigee-syzygy of the Earth-Moon-Sun system'. Admittedly not as catchy.
To be more exact, on Wednesday evening the full moon will be 363,667 kilometres from the Earth, as opposed to its usual average distance of some 382,900 kilometres, and will appear to be around 7 percent larger than usual.
When can I see it?
The supermoon at the end of August will take place on the evening of August 30th at around 8.30pm. If it's still light where you are at that time, you'll have to wait until after sunset to see it.
The moon will rise in the east and move south over the horizon, where it will disappear again at 4am just before sunrise on September 1st.
Unfortunately, it looks like it may be cloudy across most of Sweden on the evening of August 30th, but you never know, the weather might clear up where you are just long enough to spot a glimpse of the phenomenon.
Where is the best place to view it?
Like with most astrological events, the best place to spot the supermoon is in areas with clear skies and a low amount of light pollution, preferably high up or on the coast so you have a good view of the horizon, although you do still have a chance of spotting it in urban areas if the weather is good.
The supermoon will be closer to the Earth than usual, so you should be able to see its surface with a pair of binoculars. If you want to take pictures, you should use a camera with a telephoto lens placed on a tripod. To avoid overexposure, you may need to set the exposure manually.
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