Home > Anything Else, Cosmic Craziness > Supermoon Alert: Biggest Full Moon Of 2012 Due Saturday, May 5th

Supermoon Alert: Biggest Full Moon Of 2012 Due Saturday, May 5th

05/01/2012 Leave a comment Go to comments

Update: May’s ‘Supermoon’ To Be Closely Followed By Meteor Shower, Annular Solar Eclipse

Space.com via FOX News – “Skywatchers take note: The biggest full moon of the year is due to arrive this weekend.

The moon will officially become full Saturday (May 5) at 11:35 p.m. EDT. And because this month’s full moon coincides with the moon’s perigee — its closest approach to Earth — it will also be the year’s biggest.

The moon will swing in 221,802 miles (356,955 kilometers) from our planet, offering skywatchers a spectacular view of an extra-big, extra-bright moon, nicknamed a supermoon.

And not only does the moon’s perigee coincide with full moon this month, but this perigee will be the nearest to Earth of any this year, as the distance of the moon’s close approach varies by about 3 percent, according to meteorologist Joe Rao, SPACE.com’s skywatching columnist. This happens because the moon’s orbit is not perfectly circular.

This month’s full moon is due to be about 16 percent brighter than average.” Read more.

Categories: Anything Else, Cosmic Craziness
  1. No comments yet.
  1. No trackbacks yet.

The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of MidnightWatcher's Blogspot. Although differences of opinion are welcomed, please refrain from personal attacks and inappropriate language. This blog reserves the right to edit or delete any comments that fail to do so.