Snow moon is the name given to the second full moon of winter by native US tribes. (Representational)
Super Snow Moon 2019, the supermoon of February will be the brightest and biggest of the year 2019. While in US, the February full moon is called the super snow moon, as it snows during that time, in other parts of the world, it will be a day when the moon will appear closer to Earth and will be bright too. The Super Moon will appear 15 per cent bigger and up to 30 per cent brighter than a full moon at apogee. The moon will be full today and at its perigee. The point on the Moon's orbit closest to Earth is called the perigee and the point farthest away is the apogee.
Where to Watch Super Snow Moon:
You can see the Super Snow Moon in most parts of the world and in almost all cities across India. The timings, however, will be different, in accordance with the moon rise and moon set in that country.
When to Watch Snow Moon in February:
The super moon will reach its full peak on February 19, 2019, at 10:54 am EST (Eastern Standard Time) or around 9:30 pm IST (Indian Standard Time). It will be at its brightest point at 3:53 pm UK time.
Best time to watch Super Snow Moon 2019:
The best time to enjoy a Super Full Moon, this time a snow moon, or any other Full Moon, is just after moonrise when the Moon is close to the horizon. Just before moonset is also a good time.
Why is February Supermoon called "Super Snow Moon"
According to NASA, the term "snow moon" is the historic name given to the second full moon of winter by certain Native American tribes in the US. It is called the snow moon due to snowfall during this time of year. Heavy snowfall is also the reason for its alternative name - "hunger moon", due to lack of food availability. Some of its other names are ice moon and storm moon.
More about Supermoon:
When the Full Moon is low, it looks bigger and brighter than when it's higher up in the sky. This is called the Moon illusion, and actually makes more of a difference to what it looks like than the real boost you get from it being a bit closer to Earth.
The Moon's orbit around Earth is not a perfect circle, but elliptical, with one side closer to Earth than the other. As a result, the distance between the Moon and Earth varies throughout the month and the year. On average, the distance is about 382,900 kilometers (238,000 miles).
When a Full Moon takes place when the Moon is near its closest approach to Earth, it is called a Super Full Moon. It occurs when the center of the Moon is less than 3,60,000 kilometers from the center of Earth.