When The Supermoon Wowed The World
This monthâs highly anticipated âsupermoon eclipseâ may be a magical treat for skywatchers, but thereâs nothing supernatural about the event.
On Sept. 27, skywatchers throughout North and South America, Europe, Africa, western Asia and the eastern Pacific Ocean region will witness a total eclipse that happens to occur when the moon looks abnormally large and bright in Earthâs sky. It will be the first supermoon eclipse since 1982, and the last until 2033.
âWhen the moon is farthest away, itâs known as apogee, and when itâs closest, itâs known as perigee,â Noah Petro, deputy project scientist for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter at NASAâs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, said in a statement. âOn Sept. 27, weâre going to have a perigee full moon â the closest full moon of the year.â
The moon is about 31,000 miles (50,000 kilometers) closer to Earth at perigee than it is at apogee. As a result, perigee full moons, also known as supermoons, appear about 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter in the sky than do apogee full moons (which are also called minimoons).
Thereâs no physical difference in the moon,â Petro said. âIt just appears slightly bigger in the sky. Itâs not dramatic, but it does look larger.â
âNormalâ total lunar eclipses â which occur when the Earth, moon and sun align, and the moon passes completely into Earthâs shadow â arenât terribly uncommon: On average, a skywatcher in a given location on Earth can expect to see one of these events every 2.5 years or so.
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