Full Moon Perigee or Supermoon Will Occur Saturday, May 5, 2012
The biggest full moon of 2012 called the ‘Supermoon’ or perigee full moon, will occur on Saturday, May 5, 2012, around 11:35 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on the eastern coast of the United States and on Sunday, May 6, at 1:35 p.m. in Sydney in New South Wales, Australia.
Astronomers are estimating the supermoon will be around 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than the average full moon. Full Moons from the way we see it, vary in size because of the oval orbit of the Moon. It is an ellipse with one side (perigee) about 50,000 km closer to Earth than the other (apogee).
Geoff Chester of the US Naval Observatory in Washington DC says, “The last full Moon so big and close to Earth occurred in 1993. I’d say it’s worth a look.”
The full moon with be within 221,802 miles (356,955 kilometers) of the Earth. The Moon has not been this close to Earth in about 18 years.
Experts say the short distance difference isn’t enough to cause any earthquakes or tidal effects. Although, the Earth’s tides are expected to be particularly high and low when the moon comes closest to our planet which is known as perigean tides. That’s when the moon exerts about 42 percent more tidal force than it will during its next cycle two weeks later. In most places, lunar gravity at perigee pulls tide waters an inch or so higher than the usual tide.
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