Charlotte skies are about to light up tonight with the rare showing of both the Beaver Supermoon – the closest and brightest supermoon in years – as well as the Southern Taurid meteor shower. Clear skies are forecast across the Queen City, creating perfect conditions for what might become the most spectacular night sky of the year.
The moon will reach its full phase at 8:19 a.m. EST on Wednesday, just hours before reaching its closest point to Earth, or perigee, making it appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than a typical full moon, according to Space.com.
This supermoon also coincides with the Southern Taurid meteor shower, which is expected to light up the night with occasional bright fireballs coming from the Taurids constellation
The best time to view or photograph the supermoon will be just after sunset, when the moon rises in the east and appears tinted orange or red against the horizon. Astronomers recommend using a astrophotography tripod and adjusting exposure settings for the clearest images.
