What is a Supermoon? | Super Moon Watching 2020: Worm Moon, Pink Moon, Flower Moon Blood Moon [VIDEO]
A supermoon is a full moon that appears larger than a typical full moon due to it being closer to Earth. The Supermoon is always a spectacular sight: the night sky's brightest object by far. The technical name is a perigee syzygy or a full Moon around perigee. “Syzygy” is the astronomical term when three or more celestial bodies (such as Sun, Moon, and Earth) line up.
Why do full moons have different names?
The early Native Americans didn't record time using months of the Julian or Gregorian calendar. Instead tribes gave each full moon a nickname to keep track of the seasons and lunar months.
HOW MANY SUPERMOONS IN 2020?
Three super full moons will grace our skies in 2020
March’s Full Worm Moon March 9 at 1:48 P.M EDT
April’s Full Pink Moon April 7 at 10:35 P.M. EDT
May’s Full Flower Moon May 7 at 6:45 A.M. EDT
April’s full Moon is the closest supermoon of the year
Why do full moons have different names? Early tribes gave each full moon a nickname
to keep track of the seasons and lunar months. Most of the names relate to an activity
or an event that took place at the time in each location.
WHY DO SUPERMOONS OCCUR?
Due to the fact that the Moon’s orbit around Earth is not a perfect circle in fact, it’s an elliptical (oval) shape. Because of this, the Moon’s distance from Earth changes as it travels around our planet. Earth is not directly in the middle of this elliptical orbit, so there are points in the Moon’s orbit where it is closest and farthest from Earth.
It’s difficult to truly perceive any difference at all in the Moon’s size every month or nights. so don’t get your hopes up about seeing a gigantic Moon out there. If you want to be guaranteed of seeing a huge-LOOKING Moon, Simply watch the Moon when it’s rising or setting! A Moon down near the horizon will always look enormous, thanks to a well-known
phenomenon called the Moon illusion, Claims that supermoons can cause natural disasters & "geophysical stress", have been refuted by scientists.
So, take advantage of this year's supermoon for some awe-inspiring views. Hope you catch it! Or this could be a chance for a romantic date! Or a perfect camping! Thank you for watching!
See Also: Apsis, Moon illusion, Syzygy (astronomy)
No comments:
Got Something to Say? Thoughts? Additional Information?