No, the Moon will Not be Pink Tonight

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SUMMARY

The discussion clarifies misconceptions surrounding the "Pink Supermoon" occurring on April 7, 2020. It emphasizes that the term "supermoon" refers to a full moon at perigee, which does not significantly alter its appearance to the naked eye. The term "pink" is derived from the blooming of pink flowers in April, not from any actual color change of the moon. Additionally, a notable error in the Observer's Handbook regarding the March full moon being the largest of 2020 is highlighted, with Patrick Kelly acknowledging the mistake.

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  • Understanding of lunar phases and terminology, specifically "perigee" and "supermoon."
  • Familiarity with astronomical publications, such as the Observer's Handbook of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.
  • Basic knowledge of how atmospheric conditions can affect the appearance of celestial bodies.
  • Awareness of common misconceptions in media reporting on astronomical events.
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  • Research the criteria for defining a "supermoon" and its impact on lunar visibility.
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Astronomy enthusiasts, educators, journalists covering astronomical events, and anyone interested in debunking myths related to lunar phenomena.

russ_watters
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TL;DR
The moon won't be pink tonight.
Sigh.

Here's USA Today:

USAT.jpg

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...-full-moon-coming-tuesday-april-7/5115114002/

Here's my local news:
20200407_123513.jpg


In both cases, they describe it properly in the article/report, but I guess they got to have that clickbait/headline grabber. The USA Today cover photo looks like a moon low on the horizon, whereas the one in my local news was a video clip of an eclipse with poor tracking playing behind the narrative.

A "supermoon" is a full moon when the moon is relatively close to perigee (I'm guessing within 24hrs, but it's arbitrary). The "pink" is merely due to the fact that it's April and some flowers bloom in April and some flowers are pink.
 
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russ_watters said:
...
Yeah, OK but what makes it Pink?? :)) :wink:
 
Photoshop :wink:
 
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gmax137 said:
Yeah, OK but what makes it Pink?? :)) :wink:

lomidrevo said:
Photoshop :wink:

yeah, and or being low in a gungy sky at time of photo
 
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+ originaly they had the month wrong (for perigee etc. ) (they had announced it for March 9, 2020 ... - read article ...) :
https://www.space.com/biggest-supermoon-2020-super-pink-moon-guide.html

"
Oops! Wrong month...In the 2020 edition of the Observer's Handbook of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada is a notation that the full moon of March 9 was the "largest in 2020."
But that was a mistake. The moon was actually 71 miles (115 km) farther away last month, making the moon appear ever-so-slightly smaller compared to April's full moon. The Handbook is a highly reputable publication; the "Bible" for assiduous skywatchers. That innocent notation that the March full moon was the largest (in apparent size) in 2020 was unfortunately promulgated in many publications.What happened? Space.com asked Patrick Kelly, who compiles "The Sky Month by Month" section for the Handbook, who conceded the error and explained: "I am not sure why I picked March." Kelly added, "I find calling anything a 'supermoon' just leads to disappointment as there is no visible difference. To quote [American philosopher] William James: 'A difference which makes no difference is no difference at all.'"So, while Tuesday's full moon will be the largest one of the year, the variation of themoon's distance from Earth is not readily apparent to observers viewing the moon directly. Or is it? "