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Keep your eyes on the sky tonight, as central Victorians will not only be able to spot the “supermoon” but also the International Space Station for a few minutes.
Spot the biggest supermoon of the century
Tonight, the full moon will be at its biggest and brightest in almost 70 years, and it won't put on a similar display until late 2034, astronomers say.
A so-called "supermoon" occurs when the moon is not only full, but is orbiting close to Earth. This month's full moon will be the closest to Earth since January 26, 1948.
NASA says a supermoon - technically called a perigee moon - can appear to be as much as 14 per cent bigger and 30 per cent brighter than a full moon at its furthest orbital point.
But NASA says the November 14 moon could, arguably, even be called an "extra-supermoon", and here's why.
Spot the International Space Station
The International Space Station will also be passing over central Victoria tonight, and during the week. It will be visible from Bendigo for three minutes at 9.34pm today.
It is the third brightest object in the sky and easy to spot if you know when to look up.
Visible to the naked eye, it looks like a fast-moving plane only much higher and traveling thousands of miles an hour faster.
The station will be visible at:
BENDIGO
TYLDEN
BALLARAT
Source: spotthestation.nasa.gov
Space station facts
The space station orbits the Earth every 90 minutes as it collects data from around the globe.
It is longer than a rugby union field and has an international crew who live and work onboard.
The space station looks like an airplane or a very bright star moving across the sky, except it doesn’t have flashing lights or change direction.
It will also be moving considerably faster than a typical airplane (airplanes generally fly at about 600 miles (965 km) per hour; the space station flies at 17,500 miles (28,000 km) per hour).
People do not need a telescope to spot the station, because it is travelling so fast it is easier to snatch a glimpse with the naked-eye.
Head to nasa.gov or heavens-above.com to access the exact co-ordinates for where the station will appear from your viewing location.
