Tonight’s 'Supermoon' Will Look Larger and Brighter
Having made it's closest pass by Earth in 18 years, the moon will appear nearly 30 percent bigger tonight.
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Is that a bird? Is that a plane? No, it’s a supermoon!
If the rain doesn’t put a damper on the party, tonight is the night to wrap a warm blanket around your shoulders and head outside for a glimpse of the moon at it’s biggest and brightest in 18 years.
Ok. It’s not really bigger and brighter, but it will look 14 percent brighter and nearly a third bigger because it will just have made its closest pass by Earth in 18 years.
The moon’s orbit around the Earth brings it as close as 221,567 miles away at perigee and as far as 252,000 miles at apogee.
The moon will seem largest as it rises on the horizon tonight.
However, the National Weather Service is predicting a cloudy skies and a chance of rain tonight, So locals may have to wait several years to catch a closeup of the moon.
City News Service contributed to this report.
Melanie C. Johnson
9:57 pm on Saturday, March 19, 2011
Has anyone been able to see the "super" moon?
frank
12:04 am on Sunday, March 20, 2011
Yes I have. All night working on the railroad in jasper Texas. It did appear bigger and brighter but around 2 am the fog put a damper on things. It really helped me tonight. I didn't have to use my lantern as much.
nick
6:48 am on Sunday, March 20, 2011
I am sorry to dampen this, but does the moon not take a long time to0 reach this position? It does not simply leap into its position in relation to the Sun. So we are not going to suddenly be wowed by a huge increase in size (14%) and brightness (30%). I imagine this took several full moons to achieve.
We may see it bigger and brighter because we are watching it hopefully.
Let me know if my sad idea is wrong.
Melanie C. Johnson
7:07 pm on Sunday, March 20, 2011
Hi Nick. I believe the story says that the moon will appear larger and brighter because it is passing closer to the earth, not that it will actually be larger and brighter. Thanks for reading!