Worldwide ‘supermoon’ this weekend

The ‘supermoon’ will be on show this weekend for the first time in a year.

Supermoons are the result of the moon orbiting ever so slightly closer to the earth. It looks much bigger and brighter especially if it is a full moon. The moon is around 30% brighter than normal, but this difference can be reduced by haze and cloud cover.

Sky gazers will be treated to the sight on Friday and Saturday. The brightest stage will be just after midnight, technically on Sunday morning, at 12.25am, Spanish time.

It is the first of three supermoons due this summer, the others being on August 10 (the brightest of 2014) and September 3.

James Garvin, a chief scientist at Nasa’s Goddard Space Flight Centre, explained “The moon may seem bigger, although the difference in its distance from Earth is only a few percent at such times.”

Scientists have dismissed concerns that the supermoon could have negative effects on the planet, such as natural disasters or extremes in the tides.Mr Garvin assured that, “The effects on Earth from a supermoon are minor.”