April ‘pink’ supermoon big and beautiful, no matter what you call it

It was big and beautiful - whatever you want to call it - and it had photographers grabbing their finest equipment. See photos and video from across the region.

Pink supermoon, or perigee-syzygy moon, whatever you call it, it was a beautiful sight in the night sky on Tuesday.

The full moon happens when the Moon is directly opposite the Sun (syzygy), just after midday on Tuesday.

Then, 12 hours later, it came within 357,378 kilometres from Earth (perigee).

That’s why some call it the perigee-syzygy moon.

Frank Redward super moon over Coffs Harbour.

And it’s not actually pink in colour - it’s named after pink flowers called wild ground phlox, which bloom in early spring and appear throughout the United States and Canada.

Last night’s supermoon was the first of two, due to happen in 2021.

The next one will be on May 26 and it promises to be around 158km closer to earth than the April one.

And it will be extra special as it will occur during a total lunar eclipse, making it a ‘super blood moon’.

Super moon over Coffs Harbour by Evol Coutman.

The partial eclipse won‘t begin until around 7.45pm, but for an additional spectacle keep your eyes peeled at 5.40pm to see the moon on the horizon where it will look enormous.

When the eclipse reaches totality (when the Earth’s shadow completely covers the moon) it will briefly appear an eerie reddish “blood” colour.

There were three supermoons last year.

The term was coined in 1979 to describe either a full moon or a new moon that occurs when the Moon is within 90 per cent of perigee.