Largest supermoon of 2020 rises on a world battling COVID-19

The Pink Supermoon rises over the Shard skyscraper in London in an astronomical event that occurs when the moon is closest to the Earth in its orbit, making it appear much larger and brighter than usual, in London, Britain, April 7, 2020. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

(Reuters) - The largest, brightest supermoon of 2020 rose in the night sky on Tuesday over hushed cities, stilled factories and countries in lockdown due to the novel coronavirus that has killed tens of thousands worldwide.

If the moon is within 10% of its closest distance to the earth at the moment of full moon, it is considered to be a supermoon, according the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London.