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The first supermoon – a phenomenon where the moon looks larger than normal – of this year is to take place on Saturday night.
Chances are, you’ll get a good look at it. Saturday night’s local forecast is expected to be partly cloudy with no chance of rain.
What is a Supermoon?
Supermoon is the unofficial term for when the full moon cycle coincides with the moon’s closest approach to Earth during its oval-shaped orbit. The moon appears slightly larger than normal in the sky and can make for a spectacular view.
The technical term is full moon perigee. Perigee is when the moon is closest to the Earth, as opposed to apogee, which is when it’s the farthest.
The term Supermoon was first used in 1979 by astronomer Richard Nolle, who defined it as a full moon that occurs within at least 90 percent of its closest orbit, according to space.com.
September 28 and October 27 will also fall under this definition, with September’s full moon being the largest of the three, as well as a total lunar eclipse, or “blood moon,” according to EarthSky.
Agencies/Canadajournal
