It’s time to start preparing for the tonight’s Supermoon! When the nearest celestial body to our planet will be the closest to Earth it has been since 1948… and if you miss it, you’ll have to wait until 2034 to see it again!
If you missed October’s Supermoon don’t dispair, tonight (November 14), the moon will be at the biggest and brightest it has been in almost 70 years and according to NASA, it wont be this close to the Earth again until November 25, 2034.
Technically dubbed “perigee moon,” a Supermoon, is when the sun, moon, and Earth all line up and the moon’s orbit is closest to Earth. It can look up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than it would normally.
But when is the best time to observe this phenomena? It was actually at 7 am this morning when the moon was at it’s closest, but don’t despair if you’re not an early-bird, you can catch the spectacle overnight on the tonight.
PRO TIP: Don’t immediately check your phone or take pictures – The light from the screen will mess with your eye’s natural night vision.
A lot of people headed out last night to take some shots before tonight’s, main event, check them out:
The key to seeing it at it’s best is low light-pollution. I know, that’s not easy in NYC. Check out the light pollution map below:
Again, don’t despair, there are a few places where you’ll be able to enjoy the Supermoon, even with the cities light pollution problem, we’d recommend:
A Rooftop Bar Or Rooftop Access
This goes without saying, but this isn’t for people who live in Times Square or if you’re surrounded by high rises. Avoid rooftop bars in areas with more light pollution like Midtown and hit Downtown Manhattan or Brooklyn.We get it, rooftop bars can be overpriced and crowded, but seeing the supermoon with a drink in hand might just be too perfect to miss.
The High Line
This goes without saying really. There are already clubs of stargazers that hit up the High Line for the best views of the stars in the city. Sure, your view may be somewhat blocked in certain parts of the High Line, but it stretches from Gansevoort Street all the way to 34th Street, so you are bound to find a place with an unobstructed view.
Central Park
Find somewhere where the city lights aren’t in your immediate eye-line or you are far enough away from the light (Maybe Sheep Meadow) and central Park might just be the BEST place to see the Supermoon!
The Brooklyn Bridge & Brooklyn Bridge Park
Stroll part or all of the way across it to watch the Supermoon.
Anywhere Along The East River
Go to South Street Seaport or the East River Park if you’re downtown or to the East River Walk if you’re closer to the Upper East Side.
If you miss this one, there will be another Supermoon on December 13, but it won’t be as big or bright as this one.
Featured image source [instagram | __macgyver]