Spectacular Supermoon

If you’re heading out this evening (Saturday), glance up at the sky to behold the first of three supermoons (it’s the big white ball in the sky) set to light up the ether over the next few months. Better known to scientists as a "perigee moon", the phenomenon occurs when the orbit of earth’s ancient satellite reaches the closest point on its elliptical orbit.

This proximity makes a supermoon look far more impressive than a typical full moon, much bigger and brighter… like the Death Star orbiting Tatooine. "Generally speaking, full moons occur near perigee every 13 months and 18 days, so it’s not all that unusual," Geoff Chester of the US Naval Observatory told NASA Science News, adding: "In fact, just last year there were three perigee Moons in a row, but only one was widely reported."

Saturday's supermoon will be around 30,000 miles closer to the earth than at the furthest point on its orbit (the "apogee moon") – around 222,611 miles from the home planet. In August, it’ll be even closer at around 221,748 miles from earth, a phenomenon that already has moon buffs hugely enthused.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/07/12/spectacular-supermoon-to-appear-in-tonights-sky---so-look-up_n_5580863.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

Anyone get to see this last night?
Blooming missed it.

  

Never saw it as it was overcast thunder and lightening here . We were at a village festival too , still never stopped us though the rain was rather refreshing as it was and still is very humid .

vod

LITTLE MISS PERFECT wrote:Never saw it as it was overcast thunder and lightening here . We were at a village festival too , still never stopped us though the rain was rather refreshing as it was and still is very humid .

vod

Glad you had a good time Dibs, shame as was hoping someone had caught some pictures, though, there will be other chances

Hi Phil. I couldn't see it either, due to cloud and rain. Let's hope the next one has clear skies.

We had non stop rain here too.

That is a shame, Nems and Stardesk, as you say lets hope for clear skies for the next one

Phildidge wrote:That is a shame, Nems and Stardesk, as you say lets hope for clear skies for the next one

I hope so
I was really disappointed. I love the moon, could sit and look at it for hours

NEMS,if you get a decent telescope or binoculars you will be enchanted by what you can see!

nicko wrote:NEMS,if you get a decent telescope or binoculars  you will be enchanted by what you can see!

Know what Nicko I used to have a great set of binoculars. I have thought about it but light pollution is so bad here.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/supermoon-2014-in-pictures-the-moon-appeared-bigger-and-brighter-at-the-weekend-9603113.html

That second one is beautiful x

Cannot wait until the next one and so hope for clear skies Nems.

Phildidge wrote:Cannot wait until the next one and so hope for clear skies Nems.

Do you know when it is Didge?

Nems wrote:

Phildidge wrote:Cannot wait until the next one and so hope for clear skies Nems.

Do you know when it is Didge?

I think the next two full moons Nems, sorry not sure of the dates

Super Full Moon occurs on Sunday, 10 August 2014, 19:10

Did you also know that this august there are 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays and that won't happen again until about another 800 years or so?

 

I was out in the wee hours of the early mornings on Saturday and Sunday (remembering that I'm currently some 9 hours ahead of you folks), and the moon was so bright that you could easily see a couple hundred metres here without needing any lights !

THE most dramatic "perigee" moon that I have witnessed here was some 5 years or so ago, when I was driving into the "setting moon" around 6 in the morning, and it appeared to be about twice the size of the current displays..

Lone Wolf wrote: 

I was out in the wee hours of the early mornings on Saturday and Sunday (remembering that I'm currently some 9 hours ahead of you folks), and the moon was so bright that you could easily see a couple hundred metres here without needing any lights !

THE most dramatic "perigee" moon that I have witnessed here was some 5 years or so ago, when I was driving into the "setting moon" around 6 in the morning, and it appeared to be about twice the size of the current displays..

I was expecting to read that you'd howled at it   

Looked good against the Christ the Redeemer statue last night.

BigAndy9 wrote:Looked good against the Christ the Redeemer statue last night.

That was something else, great shot during the footie!