supermoon - the biggest in nearly 70 years

[Troy Spiral (13)]

 

Supermoon in Israel. Credit: Sergei25/Shutterstock.com

We’re about to see a record-breaking supermoon - the biggest in nearly 70 years

The closest full moon in the 21st century.

 

BEC CREW

2 NOV 2016

If you only see one astronomical event this year, make it the November supermoon, when the Moon will be the closest to Earth it’s been since January 1948.

During the event, which will happen on the eve of November 14, the Moon will appear up to 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than an average full moon. This is the closest the Moon will get to Earth until 25 November 2034, so you really don’t want to miss this one.

 

So how do you get a supermoon? 

As NASA explains, because the Moon has an elliptical orbit, one side - called the perigee - is about 48,280 km (30,000 miles) closer to Earth than the other side (the apogee). 

When the Sun, the Moon, and Earth line up as the Moon orbits Earth, that’s known as syzygy (definitely something you want to keep in your back pocket for your next Scrabble match).

When this Earth-Moon-Sun system occurs with the perigee side of the Moon facing us, and the Moon happens to be on the opposite side of Earth from the Sun, we get what’s called a perigee-syzygy.

That causes the Moon to appear much bigger and brighter in our sky than usual, and it’s referred to as a supermoon - or more technically, a perigee moon.

Supermoons aren’t all that uncommon - we just had one on October 16, and after the November 14 super-supermoon, we’ll have another one on December 14.

But because the November 14 Moon becomes full within about 2 hours of perigee, it’s going to look the biggest it has in nearly seven decades.

"The full moon of November 14 is not only the closest full moon of 2016, but also the closest full moon to date in the 21st century," says NASA. "The full moon won’t come this close to Earth again until 25 November 2034."

 

 

http://www.sciencealert.com/we-re-about-to-see-a-record-breaking-supermoon-the-biggest-and-brightest-in-nearly-70-years?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Branded+Content&utm_campaign=ScienceDump

 

 

 

[Draco1958]

Depending on roommates work schedules, I am hoping to be at Heritage Park in Taylor to shoot the rising moon.  If I could find a free spot near Lake Erie, I'd love to get it rising out of the lake.  Would be a nice effect.

[sekhmet2002]

23 hours ago, Draco1958 said:

Depending on roommates work schedules, I am hoping to be at Heritage Park in Taylor to shoot the rising moon.  If I could find a free spot near Lake Erie, I'd love to get it rising out of the lake.  Would be a nice effect.

That would be cool. You'll have to share the pictures if you get there.

[Scary Guy]

Maybe gravity will take hold and this will be the giant meteor we've all been wishing for...

One can only hope....

Edited November 7, 2016 by Scary Guy

[Maureen Falcon]

We can only hope..