What is a Supermoon? – The Sun | The Sun
SUPERMOONS rarely happen, but when they do, they create great scenery that you do not want to miss out on seeing.
But you may be wondering how such phenomenon happen, and that is why here we tell everything you ever wondered about supermoons.
What is a Supermoon?
The term Supermoon was first defined in 1979 by astrologer Richard Nolle.
He explained that the phenomenon is “a new or full moon which occurs with the moon at or near (within 90 per cent of) its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit”.
Based on Nolle’s theory, the moon would have to be around 226,000 miles away from the Earth to be considered "super".
Because of its relatively close proximity to the Earth, the celestial body’s surface appears a lot bigger when a Supermoon occurs.
Meanwhile, some describe this phenomenon as a Moon Illusion.
The Moon appears 30 per cent brighter and 14 per cent larger than it actually is and it is an illusion because of our brain's inability to understand that the sky that we live under is a dome.
How rare are Supermoons?
The scientific event is fairly uncommon, as it can occur around every 14 lunar months or full moons.
During the last such cycle, November 14, 2016, saw the most impressive Supermoon since January 26, 1948.
It is estimated that this supermoon will not be exceeded until at least November 25, 2034.
It is also estimated that the closes supermoon in this century will be on December 6, 2052.
What are the effects of a Supermoon?
Even though a full moon is sometimes associated with madness and lunacy, there’s no evidence that it actually has any effect on humans.
Despite this, a Supermoon is believed to have an impact on the Earth’s waters.
When a full moon is closer to our planet, the tide levels are often higher.
While there is no solid scientific evidence, some astrology boffins believe that a supermoon was responsible for tsunamis in Tohoku in 2011 and the Indian Ocean in 2004.
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