Q - What exactly is the Supermoon?This one snippet will serve to send you over to the site of the Beaker Folk to read the rest of the Q&A.
A - It's when the Moon suddenly becomes much larger than normal. This makes it considerably brighter and more massive.
Last night the moon was beautiful and appeared full, but I gather tonight is the night.
The photo is from NASA and was not taken tonight.
UPDATE: The supermoon was gorgeous here this evening.
The moon doesn't _suddenly_ get larger and apparently the difference in size between perigee and apogee is not really perceptible to the human eye (however a full moon on the horizon is still a splendid sight).
ReplyDelete(I note that we have rain predicted here in the SF Bay area, something almost unheard of for late June, so am unlikely to have a good view of the moon tonight.)
Erp, Eileen's entire post is tongue-in-cheek.
DeleteI'm going out now to see what I can see. I should have gone earlier.
Tongue in cheek? It's all based on Real Science. Which I probably read in the UK's respected Daily Mail.
DeleteSorry, Eileen. My mistake. I'll let you and Erp thrash it out about the size of the moon. I know better than to go up against the Archdruid.
DeleteAnd reprinted in the National Enquirer?
DeleteAlas my observational skills yesterday were low.
Yes, the piece also appeared in the National Equirer. We all have days like that, Erp.
Deleteovercast here so no viewing the moon but for those who are - my favorite ditty
ReplyDeleteI see the moon
and the moon sees me
The moon sees the somebody I'd like to see.
God bless the moon
and God bless me
God bless the somebody I'd like to see!
The little song I know is somewhat different.
DeleteI see the moon
The moon sees me
Shine through the leaves of the old oak tree
Please let the light that shines on me
Shine on the one I love.
My first sight of the supermoon tonight was through the leaves of our oak tree.
Delete