All the very best,
MShaddd. Look! Up in the sky! It's Supermoon! Due Saturday. NEW YORK (AP) — The biggest and brightest full moon of the year arrives Saturday night as our celestial neighbor passes closer to Earth than usual. But don't expect any "must-have-been-a-full-moon" spike in crime or crazy behavior. That's just folklore. Saturday's event is a "supermoon," the closest and therefore the biggest and brightest full moon of the year. At 11:34 p.m., the moon will be about 221,802 miles from Earth. That's about 15,300 miles closer than average. That proximity will make the moon appear about 14 percent bigger than it would if the moon were at its farthest distance, said Geoff Chester of the U.S. The moon's distance from Earth varies because it follows an elliptical orbit rather than a circular one.
Like any full moon, the supermoon will look bigger when it's on or near the horizon rather than higher in the sky, thanks to an optical illusion, Chester noted. View gallery The last supermoon, on March 19, 2011, was about 240 miles closer than this year's will be. Latest Super moon ( : Your pictures ) Super Full MOON of 19/03/2011. Super Full Moon March 16, 2011: Mark your calendar. On March 19th, a full Moon of rare size and beauty will rise in the east at sunset. It's a super "perigee moon"--the biggest in almost 20 years. "The last full Moon so big and close to Earth occurred in March of 1993," says Geoff Chester of the US Naval Observatory in Washington DC.
Full Moons vary in size because of the oval shape of the Moon's orbit. "The full Moon of March 19th occurs less than one hour away from perigee--a near-perfect coincidence1 that happens only 18 years or so," adds Chester. A perigee full Moon brings with it extra-high "perigean tides," but this is nothing to worry about, according to NOAA. Indeed, contrary to some reports circulating the Internet, perigee Moons do not trigger natural disasters. Okay, the Moon is 14% bigger than usual, but can you really tell the difference? The best time to look is when the Moon is near the horizon. Don't bother. Author: Dr. ScienceCasts: Super Moon. Supermoon. The supermoon of March 19, 2011 (right), compared to a more average moon of December 20, 2010 (left), as viewed from Earth The March 19, 2011, supermoon was 356,577 kilometers (221,567 miles) away from Earth.
The last time the full moon approached so close to Earth was in 1993. It was about 20 percent brighter and 15 percent bigger than a regular full moon. The most recent occurrence was on September 9, 2014.[4] The opposite phenomenon, an apogee-syzygy, has been called a micromoon,[5] though this term is not as widespread as supermoon. Distance[edit] The Moon's distance varies each month between approximately 357,000 kilometers (222,000 mi) and 406,000 km (252,000 mi) due to its elliptical orbit around the Earth (distances given are center-to-center).[6][7][8] According to NASA, a full moon at perigee is up to 14% larger (in area, or almost 7% larger diameter) and 30% brighter than one at its farthest point, or apogee.[9] Terminology[edit] Frequency[edit] Effect on tides[edit] Gallery[edit]
'Supermoon' rising this weekend - latimes.com. As the sun sets in the west Saturday, the biggest, brightest moon in about 20 years will begin peeking over the eastern horizon. The so-called "supermoon" will appear about 14% bigger and 30% brighter than normal, according to NASA. Because the moon's orbit is oval, there is a point where it is the closest to the Earth, known as its perigee. The farthest point is its apogee. On Saturday, the moon's closest perigee of the year happens to occur within one hour of the monthly astronomical phase of the full moon, which together will create the rarely seen spectacle of illumination and size, said Geoff Chester, an astronomer at the U.S. "It will be the closest full moon we've had since 1993," he said. "I often say the moon is looked over and overlooked," Chester said.
However moon-gazers in the Los Angeles area may be out of luck, as expected rainclouds may obscure even a giant shining moon. stephen.ceasar@latimes.com. It's a 'supermoon' rising, biggest in 18 years - Technology & science - Space - Space.com. Thanks to a fluke of orbital mechanics that brings the moon closer to Earth than it has been in more than 18 years, the biggest full moon of 2011 will occur on Saturday, leading some observers to dub it a "supermoon. " On Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, the moon will arrive at its closest point to the Earth in 2011: a distance of 221,565 miles away. And only 50 minutes earlier, the moon will officially be full. At its peak, the supermoon of March may appear 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than lesser full moons (when the moon is at its farthest from Earth), weather permitting.
Yet to the casual observer, it may be hard to tell the difference. The supermoon will not cause natural disasters, such as the Japan earthquake, a NASA scientist has stressed. Spotting the supermoon The moon has not been in a position to appear this large since March 1993. Although a full moon theoretically lasts just a moment, that moment is imperceptible to ordinary observation. Or is it? Super moon spectacle will light up skies tomorrow night (but there's no need to worry about lunacy) By Claire Bates Updated: 10:54 GMT, 19 March 2011 Tonight's event will be the closest full moon in almost 20 years Keep your fingers crossed for clear skies tonight - a full moon of rare size and beauty will rise in the east at sunset.
The natural phenomenon happens when the full Moon coincides with when it travels closest to Earth on its orbit. 'The last full Moon so big and close to Earth occurred in March of 1993,' said Geoff Chester of the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington DC. 'I'd say it's worth a look.' Full Moons vary in size because of the elliptical (or oval) shape of the Moon's orbit. So nearby perigee moons, like the one we will see tonight, is around 14 per cent bigger and 30 per cent brighter than lesser moons that occur on the apogee side of the moon's orbit. However, it will be difficult to detect the change once the moon is high in the sky as the human eye is unable to put it in context without any nearby objects to compare it to. Science Behind 'Supermoon' Explained | NASA & Supermoon Science | Japan Earthquake, Tsunami & Moon Perigee. 2012 Supermoon UPDATE: For the latest news on the May 5, 2012 "supermoon" and meteor shower, read our most recent story here: Spectacular 'Supermoon' Wows Skywatchers Around the World This story was updated at 2:25 p.m.
ET. The tragic earthquake and tsunami in Japan Friday (March 11) set the Internet abuzz with the idea that the moon, which will be at its fullest of the year on March 19, played a role in the devastating natural disaster. The seed for the idea was planted by an astrologer, who contended that this large full moon – a so-called "supermoon"– would touch off natural disasters like the Japan earthquake since the moon would make its closest approach to Earth in 18 years. Scientists, however, dismissed the notion entirely and now a top NASA scientist is weighing in.
In a statement released Friday, noted NASA scientist Jim Garvin explains the mechanics behind the moon's phases and the causes of the supermoon. Which of these lunar displays is your favorite skywatching treat? Astrologer Richard Nolle's Century 21 CE SuperMoon Table. Extreme Supermoon Peaking on 03-19-2011 (Global Alert) Pleaseee read video discription as to why. March 19, 2011… “SuperMoon” or “SuperHype”?
Want to stay on top of all the space news? Follow @universetoday on Twitter Credit: JPL/NASA I mean no disrespect for those who enjoy the study of astrology. Some of the greatest astronomers of the past were also astrologers. To practice either line requires a deep understanding of our solar system, its movements and the relationship to the celestial sphere. The only thing I have difficulty swallowing is how a perfectly normal function could wreak havoc on planet Earth. Does an astrological prediction of an upcoming “Extreme SuperMoon” spell impending disaster – or is it just one more attempt to excite our natural tendencies to love a good gloom and doom story?
On March 19, 2011 the Moon will pass by Earth at a distance of 356,577 kilometers (221,567 miles) – the closest pass in 18 years . Opinions aside, it is a scientific fact when the Moon is at perigee there is more gravitational pull, creating higher tides or significant variations in high and low tides. Credit: Richard Nolle.