A micromoon will grace the night skies this weekend
NEW YORK (AP) — There’s a micromoon coming up.
The full moon will look slightly smaller and dimmer on Saturday night. But the change may be tricky to spot with the naked eye.
“It’s a very subtle difference,” said astrophysicist Alain Brizard from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont.
The phenomenon happens when the moon is at a point farthest away from Earth. It’s opposite to a supermoon, where the moon swings closer to Earth and looks a bit larger.
To see the micromoon, go outside and look up in an area with a clear view of the moon.
Supermoons and micromoons happen a few times a year as the moon’s full phase syncs up with its orbit.
Another micromoon is on tap for May. Three supermoons will be visible this year in October, November and December.
A more colorful lunar event took place in March when a total eclipse turned the moon coppery red.
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