Pink supermoon illuminates sky across Canada, and it's not done yet

TORONTO -- The super pink moon illuminated the sky across Canada Monday night, marking the first supermoon of 2021.

The moon didn't actually appear pink, despite the name. The Old Farmer's Almanac says that the name refers to the fact that April's full moon coincides with the blooming of the bright pink creeping phlox flowers.

You'll have another chance to catch the moon if you missed it. While the moon reached its peak illumination at around 11:32 p.m. EDT Monday night, NASA says the moon is expected to appear full for three days until Wednesday morning.

Supermoons tend to be around 15 per cent brighter and seven per cent bigger than an average full moon.

NASA says this is because the moon orbits around the Earth in an ellipse or oval shape rather than a perfect circle. A supermoon can be seen when the moon reaches its closest point to the earth.

The next supermoon is expected to shine on May 26, which the Old Farmer's Almanac calls the "flower moon."​

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  The Super Pink Full Moon rises over a silo in Mississippi Mill, Ont., on Monday, April 26, 2021. The April full moon is called the Pink Moon because it coincides with the spring blooming of the herb moss pink wildflower. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

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  The Super Pink Full Moon rises over the former Almonte post office, which is a National Historic Site of Canada, in Mississippi Mill, Ont., on Monday, April 26, 2021. The April full moon is called the Pink Moon because it coincides with the spring blooming of the herb moss pink wildflower. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick