Super Frost Moon Lights Up the Sky This Weekend
Dec 3, 2017 15:18:18 GMT
Tix Mascot and scarlett like this
Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2017 15:18:18 GMT
It's a Supermoon weekend!
The moon is almost full Saturday night and will be full Sunday. At that same time, the moon will make its closest approach to the Earth -- the definition of a supermoon.
That combination will make the moon seem about 14 percent larger in diameter than usual this weekend, NASA said. Supermoons typically appear about 30 percent brighter than the usual moon.
And this will be a particularly bright supermoon for the United States, thanks to the more intense sunlight that reflects off the moon in winter, NASA said.
As if that weren't enough: This supermoon, the only one visible in 2017, is also a Super Frost Moon.
This last full moon of the year is known as a Frost Moon, Cold Moon or Moon Before Yule. It doesn't always correspond with a supermoon (though it did in December 2016).
You can see the Super Frost Moon any night this weekend; conditions in most of the country should be favorable for viewing, though there may be clouds in the far northeast and in the central parts of the country. (If that happens to you, check out this Virtual Telescope for some gorgeous pictures from elsewhere.)
And even though the moon isn't completely full until Sunday, viewers won't notice a difference on Saturday night.
The best time to see it will be as the moon rises just after sunset, according to National Geographic.
Two other tips? National Geographic suggests putting the phone down. "Supermoons aren’t rare, but they’re not an everyday occurrence either. Don’t be so focused on your sensor that you miss such an otherworldly sight," they said.
And NASA, which apparently has a sense of humor, suggests dressing for the occasion. "As usual, the wearing of suitably celebratory celestial attire is encouraged in honor of the full Moon."
The moon is almost full Saturday night and will be full Sunday. At that same time, the moon will make its closest approach to the Earth -- the definition of a supermoon.
That combination will make the moon seem about 14 percent larger in diameter than usual this weekend, NASA said. Supermoons typically appear about 30 percent brighter than the usual moon.
And this will be a particularly bright supermoon for the United States, thanks to the more intense sunlight that reflects off the moon in winter, NASA said.
As if that weren't enough: This supermoon, the only one visible in 2017, is also a Super Frost Moon.
This last full moon of the year is known as a Frost Moon, Cold Moon or Moon Before Yule. It doesn't always correspond with a supermoon (though it did in December 2016).
You can see the Super Frost Moon any night this weekend; conditions in most of the country should be favorable for viewing, though there may be clouds in the far northeast and in the central parts of the country. (If that happens to you, check out this Virtual Telescope for some gorgeous pictures from elsewhere.)
And even though the moon isn't completely full until Sunday, viewers won't notice a difference on Saturday night.
The best time to see it will be as the moon rises just after sunset, according to National Geographic.
Two other tips? National Geographic suggests putting the phone down. "Supermoons aren’t rare, but they’re not an everyday occurrence either. Don’t be so focused on your sensor that you miss such an otherworldly sight," they said.
And NASA, which apparently has a sense of humor, suggests dressing for the occasion. "As usual, the wearing of suitably celebratory celestial attire is encouraged in honor of the full Moon."
