Starwatch: full moon rises between Leo’s brightest stars | Astronomy

This week, watch the full moon rise between the two brightest stars of Leo, the lion.

On Wednesday, the moon will rise in the gathering twilight at around 4.52pm GMT. About an hour later, the stars Algieba and Regulus will be visible on either side of it, against the darkening sky.

The chart shows the view looking east from London at 7pm GMT on 16 February. The moon will have 99.8% of its visible surface illuminated at the time, and so will appear full.

Find the clearest eastern horizon that you can. Settle in from 4.40pm GMT onwards and watch for the first sign of the moon to peep above the horizon. Earth’s natural satellite appears to be much larger when it is close to the horizon, rather than high in the sky. This is called the moon illusion, and is a purely psychological effect, as measurements of the moon show that it does not change its apparent diameter as it crosses the sky.

The moon is always about the width of the nail on your outstretched index finger. The moonrise is also visible from the southern hemisphere. In Sydney, Australia, the moon rises at 7.52pm AEDT on 16 February. Look to the north-east.