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48422
From: ryan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: August's supermoon kicks off four months of lunar spectacles
URL: https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/august-s-supermoon-kicks-off-four-months-of-lunar-19658189.php
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August's supermoon kicks off four months of lunar spectacles. Here's how to watch By MARCIA DUNN, AP Aerospace Writer Updated Aug 15, 2024 10:41 a.m. FILE - The moon rises through clouds over the skyline of lower Manhattan in this view from West Orange, N.J., Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023, during a supermoon period.Seth Wenig/AP CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The first of four supermoons this year rises next week, providing tantalizing views of Earth’s constant companion. Stargazers can catch the first act Monday as the full moon inches a little closer than usual, making it appear slightly bigger and brighter in the night sky. “I like to think of the supermoon as a good excuse to start looking at the moon more regularly," said Noah Petro, project scientist for NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. August's supermoon kicks off a string of lunar spectacles. September’s supermoon will coincide with a partial lunar eclipse. October’s will be the year’s closest approach, and November’s will round out the year. What makes a moon so super? More a popular term than a scientific one, a supermoon occurs when a full lunar phase syncs up with an especially close swing around Earth. This usually happens only three or four times a year and consecutively, given the moon’s constantly shifting, oval-shaped orbit. A supermoon obviously isn’t bigger, but it can appear that way, although scientists say the difference can be barely perceptible. “Unless you have looked at a lot of full moons or compare them in images, it is hard to notice the difference, but people should try,” Petro said in an email. How do supermoons compare? There’s a quartet of supermoons this year. The first will be 224,917 miles (361,970 kilometers) away. The next will be nearly 3,000 miles (4,484 kilometers) closer the night of Sept. 17 into the following morning. A partial lunar eclipse will also unfold that night, visible in much of the Americas, Africa and Europe as the Earth’s shadow falls on the moon, resembling a small bite. October’s supermoon will be the year’s closest at 222,055 miles (357,364 kilometers) from Earth, followed by November’s supermoon at a distance of 224,853 miles (361,867 kilometers). What’s in it for me? Scientists point out that only the keenest observers can discern the subtle differences. It's easier to detect the change in brightness — a supermoon can be 30% brighter than average. With the U.S. and other countries ramping up lunar exploration with landers and eventually astronauts, the moon beckons brighter than ever. As project scientist for the first team of moonwalkers coming up under Apollo's follow-on program, Artemis, Petro is thrilled by the renewed lunar interest. “It certainly makes it more fun to stare at,” Petro said. |
48426
From: Bev/Van Isle, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: August's supermoon -not a Supermoon ~lol
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Hi there Ryan. I popped in to see if anyones talking about Mondays Full Moon and want to mention this is likely the roughest/wildest Full Moon as it comes with a square to Uranus in aspect to a Mercury retrograde. Combined WITH a t-square with Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. It’ll be a large-looking Moon for sure, but it’s not a Supermoon by definition. It was astrologer Richard Nolle who coined the term back in the late ‘70’s, and usually these newspaper articles mention his name, but I see this one doesn’t. It kind of bugs him ( I was recently in touch with him about all this ) as they aren’t getting it correct, so I’ll add his Supermoon page here for anyone interested. His explanation of the definition is ; “ A SuperMoon is a perigee-syzygy, a new or full moon (syzygy) which occurs when the Moon is at 90% or greater of its mean closest approach to Earth (perigee). ” https://www.astropro.com/features/tables/cen21ce/suprmoon.html |
48430
From: ryan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: August's supermoon -not a Supermoon ~lol
| thanks for the info bev! i passed it on to the chronic writer who wrote the article...a square to uranus with a mercury retro...ouch! |
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48427
From: shadow, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: August's supermoon -not a Supermoon ~lol
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Hey thanks, Bev -- I wondered about that characterization of this upcoming as a Supermoon but didn't take the time to check it... Yep, gonna be a doozie...lol... |
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[48428]
48428
From: shadow, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Huh...looking now at a couple different things, it seems....
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...there's more of a difference of opinion/definition as to what comprises a Blue Moon than I realized...! Will hafta check it all out another time... ;) |
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