In just over a week, the moon will be closer to earth than at any point in the last seventy years. Not since January 1948 will our satellite friend have been so near to us and it’s going to create what’s known in astronomy circles as a ‘Supermoon‘. Exciting, right? Well, all it basically means is that the moon is gonna be HUGE.
Interested? Well, you’d better not forget. Only if you miss the chance to catch the Moon appearing up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than an average full moon, you’ll have to wait until 25 November 2034 for the next one…
The National Space Agency says this about them: “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. The full moon won’t come this close to Earth again until 25 November 2034.”
“When the moon is near the horizon, it can look unnaturally large when viewed through trees, buildings, or other foreground objects,” continues NASA. “The effect is an optical illusion, but that fact doesn’t take away from the experience.”
The supermoon is expected to reach its fullest peak on the morning of November 14th at precisely 8:52am EST (1352 GMT).
We can’t wait!
It’s fascinating stuff. And who better than NASA to talk you through exactly what supermoons are all about in greater detail?
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