Here's when you can see the pink 'supermoon' in the UK - and what it means

The first supermoon of 2021 is set to appear in UK skies this week to the delight of moongazers.

Known as the “pink moon”, April’s full moon gets its unusual name thanks to the time of year that it happens.

And this month’s full moon will also be the first of two supermoons which will occur this year, with the second appearing in May.

So, what is a supermoon, when will it appear in UK skies - and will it actually be pink?

Here is everything you need to know.

What is a supermoon?

The term “supermoon” was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979.

Supermoons appear bigger and brighter in the sky because they are slightly closer to the Earth

The effect is due to an optical illusion known as the “moon illusion”, when the observer’s eye is tricked into comparing the moon to the relative size of other objects on the horizon, such as buildings and trees.

Each year, there are about two to four moons that meet the distance threshold.

The April supermoon will pass within 360,000km (224,000 miles) of the Earth, meaning the lunar surface will appear 14 per cent larger and 30 per cent brighter than some previous full moons.

This means the pink moon will be the brightest full moon of 2021 so far.

When will the pink moon appear?

You will be able to spot the pink moon at any time during the night of Tuesday 27 April in the UK.

It will peak at 4:31am, which is the moment that the moon will appear at its biggest and brightest due to reflecting the maximum amount of sunlight onto the Earth.

The supermoon will then set at 6.04am.

However, there is no rush to see the pink moon for yourself, as it will also appear full for another two or three nights after this.

It will be visible from any part of the UK as long as there is no really cloudy weather.