birdfloatindown
05-05-2012, 12:50 AM
So take a moment on Saturday night, look up at the big, full moon, and give thanks to the heavens for giving us Adam Yauch.
http://www.news-press.com/article/20120505/NEWS01/305050014/Close-approach-Earth-makes-moon-look-larger-than-ever-
"The moon that rises in the night sky Saturday night will be at the year’s closest point to the Earth — called the lunar perigee — and will appear larger than usual," said Carol Stewart, a program presenter and NASA/Jet Propulsion Lab solar system ambassador at the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium.
The term perigee — and it’s opposite, apogee — refer to the distance from the Earth to the moon. Perigee is the closest the moon gets to Earth and the stage the moon appears larger while apogee is the farthest point from Earth. Because there is little in the sky near the moon, getting a good handle on the size can be difficult.
“The moon will appear larger, to the eye,” than the moon at it’s farthest point, Stewart said.
The Southwest Florida Astronomical Society’s website lists this full moon as “the closest and largest full moon of 2012” while NASA’s Science News for this week says “the full Moon of May 5-6, 2012, is a perigee moon, as much as 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than other full moons of 2012.”
http://www.news-press.com/article/20120505/NEWS01/305050014/Close-approach-Earth-makes-moon-look-larger-than-ever-
"The moon that rises in the night sky Saturday night will be at the year’s closest point to the Earth — called the lunar perigee — and will appear larger than usual," said Carol Stewart, a program presenter and NASA/Jet Propulsion Lab solar system ambassador at the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium.
The term perigee — and it’s opposite, apogee — refer to the distance from the Earth to the moon. Perigee is the closest the moon gets to Earth and the stage the moon appears larger while apogee is the farthest point from Earth. Because there is little in the sky near the moon, getting a good handle on the size can be difficult.
“The moon will appear larger, to the eye,” than the moon at it’s farthest point, Stewart said.
The Southwest Florida Astronomical Society’s website lists this full moon as “the closest and largest full moon of 2012” while NASA’s Science News for this week says “the full Moon of May 5-6, 2012, is a perigee moon, as much as 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than other full moons of 2012.”