Where and when to see the “super pink moon” in Rouen this Saturday?
By Valentin Lebosse
Published on
The weather is good, the sky is blue and the moon is pink. We should even talk about “super moon rose” to qualify the astronomical phenomenon that fits in the night from Saturday 16 to Sunday 17 April 2022.
Why do we speak of a “supermoon”?
This phenomenon, which only occurs once or twice a year, results from a unusual proximity of our satellite to Earth. The Moon, which follows an elliptical orbit around the Blue Planet, is then at its perigee (point of the orbit of a star which is closest to the Earth), explains Gerard Pitrou, president of the Fridays of Astronomy association in Rouen.
A relative rapprochement, perhaps a few tens of thousands of kilometers, compared to the average Earth-Moon distance which is 384,000 km. But enough for the full moon on Saturday evening to appear a little bigger than usual.
A “pink” Moon, really?
As for the color pink, the term is a bit overused. It is mainly given this name of pink moon in reference to the colors of the flowers of spring, the season when this phenomenon is visible.
Difficult to anticipate the exact color that the star will take. It all depends on the interactions with the light of the setting Sun. “The light that passes through the Earth’s atmosphere – more red rays – is reflected on the surface of the Moon, which gives it this red-ochre color”, describes Gérard Pitrou.
Prioritize areas with a clear horizon
According to the astronomer, the conditions for observing this “super pink Moon” will be really favorable around 9 p.m., after sunset. Especially since Météo France announces a cloudless evening. And that “the Moon is very high in the sky at the moment, because it is at its maximum inclination with respect to the plane of Earth’s orbit”, completes the astronomer. Early risers can also observe it on Sunday morning, before sunrise (7 a.m.).
To take advantage of the phenomenon, Gérard Pitrou recommends “going to areas that are not too crowded with buildings, where the horizon is clear”. The ideal is to go to the countryside but other sites closer to Rouen are suitable, such as the surroundings of Boos airport or the panorama of Mont-Saint-Aignan. Stadiums can also do the trick.
Unlike eclipses, there is no need to wear goggles because the “pink super moon” is not dangerous for the eyes. If the phenomenon is easily observable with the naked eye, Gérard Pitrou advises to equip yourself with a pair of binoculars to contemplate other celestial objects such as the constellation of Orion, “clearly visible at the moment in a south / South West “.
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