There's been a lot of talk in the media about this next full moon being a 'Super Moon'.
Sounds exciting, but here's some facts from an article from Sky and Telescope:
May is the month this year when full Moon occurs closest to perigee, the point where the Moon is closest to Earth in its monthly orbit. But the Moon will be only 8% closer and larger than average. That's not enough to notice unless you're an awfully careful moonwatcher. Or use measuring tools.
And, this full Moon will shine only 0.16 magnitude brighter than average. That's only slightly more of a brightness difference than a skilled variable-star observer can just detect.
You can see the difference in a side-by-side comparison like the one above. But looking at the Moon by itself? Not likely."
So, while unfortunately this 'super moon' may not be quite as dramatic as some media or internet rumours would have you believe, it's still a wonderful sight to observe. If it's a clear night, head outside with your binoculars and enjoy the full moon... it's always super!
Sounds exciting, but here's some facts from an article from Sky and Telescope:
May is the month this year when full Moon occurs closest to perigee, the point where the Moon is closest to Earth in its monthly orbit. But the Moon will be only 8% closer and larger than average. That's not enough to notice unless you're an awfully careful moonwatcher. Or use measuring tools.
And, this full Moon will shine only 0.16 magnitude brighter than average. That's only slightly more of a brightness difference than a skilled variable-star observer can just detect.
You can see the difference in a side-by-side comparison like the one above. But looking at the Moon by itself? Not likely."
So, while unfortunately this 'super moon' may not be quite as dramatic as some media or internet rumours would have you believe, it's still a wonderful sight to observe. If it's a clear night, head outside with your binoculars and enjoy the full moon... it's always super!
The full Moon of May 5, 2012, appears just 8% larger than the average full Moon.
