Second supermoon of 2014 will be visible Friday

The second of the five supermoons of 2014 would be visible on Friday, an organisation working for popularising astronomy said today.

The second of the five supermoons of 2014 would be visible on Friday, an organisation working for popularising astronomy said on Tuesday.

Space Foundation said the first supermoon of 2014 appeared on January 1 — making January the single calendar month with two supermoons until January 2018.

Friday's supermoon would be visible around 3.30pm.

The remaining three supermoons will be visible on July 12, August 10 and September 9. The one in August would be closest to Earth.

"A supermoon is when the moon makes its closest approach to Earth in its orbit than usual. It appears as much as 14% bigger and 30% brighter," said Space Foundation president CB Devgun.

According to the organisation, the term supermoon came from astrologer Richard Nolle over 30 years ago in 1979. During the phenomenon, the Earth, moon and sun are all in a line, with the moon in its nearest approach to earth.

Prior to 1979, supermoons were called perigee full moon or perigee new moon.