The Perigee Moon or Supermoon of 2012
We were about to go to the hospital a while ago when I caught a glimpse of the rising waning gibbous moon (almost full) across the road. Luckily I always have my point-and-shoot camera with me and I was able to take an image. It’s quite a challenge because a lot of vehicles were running on the road. Haha!
Anyway, I hope it won’t rain tomorrow night so that everyone of us could witness this year’s perigee moon or Supermoon 🙂 It’s the biggest and closest full moon of the year.
According to NASA, “it will be as much as 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than other full moons of 2012”.
Moon closest: May 6 at 11:29 am PHT
Full moon: May 6 at 11:35 am PHT
Clear skies!
My Image of the Supermoon!
- Supermoon – March 19, 2011 | Image enhanced in Registax
This image was taken during UP Astronomical Society‘s free public viewing of the largest full moon at the UP Diliman Sunken Garden.
Thanks to Kuya Anthony Urbano of EtenyWorks for letting us take pictures through his 6″ NERT!
The Moon was ~14% brighter and bigger at the time of this event. Thin clouds blanketed the lunar disk during this night but we were still lucky to catch a glimpse of this celestial beauty.We even saw a 22 degree halo and a colorful lunar corona circling the Moon at the same time.
Saturn was also there within the halo and there were contrails, too left by a passing aircraft.
Thanks to everyone who dropped by. ‘Til next time 🙂 Ad astra per aspera!
“The sky is the ultimate art gallery just above us.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
[Some photos were grabbed from Nico Mendoza and Julee Olave 🙂 Used with their permissions]
Supermoon Misconception
Biggest Full Moon of 2011 (image: Celestia)
During the past few days, rumors associating the March 19, 2011 “Supermoon” to some recent catastrophes were spreading all over different media like wild fire.
Again, we should not blame this largest full moon of the year for any natural disasters because it has nothing to do with those happenings. Tides will go higher than usual average tides along coastlines as a consequence of the moon’s gravitational pull, but nothing so significant that will cause a serious climatic disaster or anything for people to worry about like the tsunamis in Japan. These tsunamis were caused by earthquakes which were definitely not triggered by the Moon’s attraction.
The following links features helpful articles which debunks the idea of this junk pseudoscience.
- Did a supermoon cause the March 11 earthquake in Japan?
- Biggest Full Moon in 19 years
- Biggest Full Moon in 19 Years Will Make Your Night Brighter, More Romantic Than Usual
- The Supermoon Illusion
- Is the March 19th Full Moon an “Extreme Super Moon”?
- No, the “supermoon” didn’t cause Japanese earthquake
Remember, the Supermoon is not a thing to be scared of rather, it is a spectacle to be enjoyed. 🙂
Watch out as the lunar disk rises above the eastern horizon after sunset at 18:10 UT. This will present a stunning sight with the naked eye, in binoculars, and through the camera viewfinder for those of you lucky enough to have a clear sky.
Observing the Largest Full Moon of 2011 with UP AstroSoc
Come and join UP Astronomical Society (UP Astrosoc) in witnessing this year’s Supermoon 🙂
poster by Francis Bugaoan, Observation and Instrumentation Cluster member (UP AstroSoc)
In the Philippines, Full Moon will occur at 2:10 AM (PHT) on March 20, 2011.
From www.popsci.com
On March 19th, the moon will be closer to Earth than it’s been since 1992. This day marks this year’s lunar perigee, the point in the moon’s orbit at which it is closest to Earth. The full moon that night will appear about 14 percent larger and significantly brighter than usual, but despite the brightness, the supermoon has a dark side. Supermoons have been linked to massive natural disasters in the past, from earthquakes to floods–but that connection is typically touted by astrologists. Astronomers and scientists, with typical drollness, say a catastrophe is unlikely.
It’s the moon’s elliptical orbit that’s responsible for the differences in distance between the moon and Earth (the opposite, the point at which the moon is farthest from the Earth, is called the lunar apogee).
Apogee/Perigee Credit: Anthony Ayiomamitis
Clear skies to all! 🙂
Journey to the Stars 