How to capture tonight's supermoon

It may be occuring on the same day US President Donald Trump has issued an order declaring the US will mine the moon for minerals (really), but a supermoon will be visible in Australian skies this evening.

 

The supermoon is one of only two that happen every year, and is a result of multiple astronomical elements aligning in perfect harmony to create an optical illusion. 

 

A Super Full Moon, like that you can expect tonight, occurs when the centre of the Moon is orbiting close to the centre of Earth. Because it’s so close, it appears brighter in the sky. 

 

The best time to capture a supermoon is at sunset, as the full moon always rises at sunset and there should still be enough ambient light to contrast it against things like trees and houses.

 

This should also create an optical illusion which can help make it appear bigger.

 

According to 7 News, the moon will be at its brightest after 11pm on Wednesday. Early weather indications look like Adelaide and Perth will have clear skies tonight, with the other major cities on the East Coast clouded in. 

 

In terms of camera gear, bring a tripod as you'll be shooting a long exposure, and consider using a shutter release to minimise camera shake. Set your camera to Manual, and manually focus your lens to infinity.

 

From there, a shutter speed somewhere in the vicinity of 1/125th of a second and an aperture to f/8 or f/11, with the ISO at its lowest setting, should be a good starting point. 

Best times to watch the super moon tonight

Sydney
Moonrise begins at 6.05pm, peaks at 11.04pm

Melbourne
Moonrise begins at 6.29pm, peaks at 11.22pm

Brisbane
Moonrise begins at 6pm, peaks at 11.01pm

Adelaide
Moonrise begins at 6.26pm, peaks at 11.17pm

Perth
Moonrise begins at 6.31pm, peaks at 11.22pm