SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
Super Moon vs. Micro Moon
EXPLANATION
What is so super about tomorrow’s supermoon? Tomorrow, a full moon will occur that appears slightly larger and brighter than usual. The reason is that the Moon’s fully illuminated phase occurs within a short time from perigee—when the Moon is its closest to the Earth in its elliptical orbit. Although the precise conditions that define a supermoon vary, given one definition, tomorrow’s will be the third supermoon of the year—and the third consecutive month that a supermoon occurs. One reason supermoons are popular is because they are so easy to see—just go outside and sunset and watch an impressive full moon rise! Since perigee actually occurs today, tonight’s sunset moonrise should also be impressive. Pictured above, a supermoon from 2012 is compared to a micromoon—when a full Moon occurs near the furthest part of the Moon’s orbit—so that it appears smaller and dimmer than usual. Given many definitions, at least one supermoon occurs each year, with the next being 2015 August 30.
Image Credit & Copyright
