Supermoon is a phenomenon when the full moon is at the closest point to Earth in its orbit.
Technically, the full moon which will be in the Libra constellation, will only last a moment. That will happen at 6:45 a.m. EDT (1145 GMT) on Thursday, May 7, 2020.
Reporting from Livescience on Wednesday (6/5/2020), the United States Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said that when the moon's side facing the Earth is fully illuminated by the sun, you can also see the planet "night star" Venus , which shines the brightest this year.
May's full moon is also known as the flower month, a moniker that is fitting to remember that wild flowers and parks are blooming throughout the northern hemisphere.
Other names for the full moon in May include the month of planting corn, the month of Vesak and the month of the Vesak festival, which commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica.
The flower moon is the last of the four stars that light up the night sky in 2020. The word "supermoon" is not a correct astronomical term; it was created by fortune teller Richard Nolle in 1979.
Nolle says the full moon is "super" if it occurs in 90 percent of perigee (when the moon is closest to Earth).
Most years have three or four stars in a row. According to NASA, this year, the four full moons from February to May are "super" varieties.
This week's supermoon will be a treat for sky watchers, even if you watch through a window from a dark room (light pollution reduces the night sky). Supermoons appear between 7 percent and 15 percent brighter than a typical full moon.
Typically, the full moon is about 31 minute arcs (0.52 degrees wide), and on May 7 the month will be 33 arc minutes (0.55 degrees), Space.com reports. As a reference, the fist held by one arm is about 10 degrees wide.
If you use binoculars or a telescope to see the supermoon in more detail, know that you might need a filter to protect your eyes. You won't need a filter if you only see with your eyes, even though the craters of the moon may be more difficult to observe.
This supermoon comes on the heels of the biggest and brightest supermoon of the year in April, but it's still more spectacular than a typical full moon.