\u201cTo the untrained eye, you\u2019re not really going to notice a difference,\u201d Aoraki said, referring to the micromoon\u2019s size.<\/p>\n
A blue super moon photographed in 2023. Photo \/ Girik Punwani<\/p>\n
However, the full moon will be impressive to see.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey occur when the sun is setting as the moon\u2019s rising, and you get a really beautiful colour, regardless of how bright or big the moon looks in the sky,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Kiwis won\u2019t need a telescope to see the spectacle \u2013 though binoculars and telescopes would sharpen the view of the moon\u2019s craters.<\/p>\n
The trick is to find a clear patch of sky away from city lights and a look to the east after moonrise.<\/p>\n
The moon will reach peak fullness about 8.46pm on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Astronomers estimate a micromoon appears about 6% smaller than an average full moon \u2013 a gap slight enough that you\u2019d really only pick it in a side-by-side photo.<\/p>\n
There are actually two flavours of blue moon: a calendar blue moon \u2013 the second full moon in a single month \u2013 and a seasonal one: the third full moon in a season that has four. <\/p>\n
Sunday\u2019s is the calendar kind \u2013 a quirk of the lunar cycle never quite lining up with our 12-month calendar, which serves up an extra full moon every couple of years.<\/p>\n
There is a catch, though \u2013 downpours and clouds are expected in many places tomorrow so choose your lookout point wisely.<\/p>\n