Skygazers are in for a treat as a "supermoon" and the Lyrids meteor shower will dazzle the Philippine night skies towards the end of April.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), in its astronomical diary this month, said the full moon on April 27, 2021 is considered a "supermoon" with a "perigee distance of 357,378 kilometers away from Earth."

PAGASA explained that perigee is "the closest that the moon comes to the Earth in its elliptic orbit, resulting in a slightly larger-than-usual apparent size of the lunar disk as viewed from Earth."

The moon usually appears 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than a regular full moon thus the term "supermoon."

However, PAGASA pointed out that the term supermoon, which was popularized by astrologer Richard Nolle, "has no precise astronomical definition."

"The real association of the Moon with both oceanic and crustal tides has led to claims that the supermoon phenomenon may be associated with an increased risk of events like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, but no such link has been found," PAGASA said.

Filipinos can also have a glimpse of the Lyrids meteor shower this month.

PAGASA said the shower’s peak this year will be in progress from April 22 until April 23.

Although not numerous, it noted that the bright and fast Lyrids meteors are still rewarding to see as they leave a streak of light across the night sky.

The shower typically generates a dozen meteors per hour under optimal conditions with a brief maximum that lasts for less than a day, PAGASA said.

It pointed out that Lyrids meteor shower has been observed for more than 2,600 years. 

It is created by bits of debris left behind by the repeated passages through the inner solar system of comet Thatcher (C/1861 G1), it further explained.

"Chinese records show that 'stars fell like rain' during the meteor shower of 687 B.C. However, in recent times, the Lyrids have generally been weak," PAGASA said.