E-Paper
Super full moon shines brightly
A 'supermoon' rose this weekend. The biggest and brightest full moon of the year graced the sky early on Sunday as our celestial neighbor swung closer to Earth than usual.
A'supermoon' rose this weekend.
The biggest and brightest full moon of the year graced the sky early on Sunday as our celestial neighbor swung closer to Earth than usual.
While the moon appeared 14% larger than normal, sky watchers weren't able to notice the difference with the naked eye.
However, astronomers said it was worth looking up and appreciating the cosmos.
"It gets people out there looking at the moon, and might make a few more people aware that there's interesting stuff going on in the night sky," Geoff Chester of the US Naval Observatory said in an email.
Some viewers may think the supermoon looks more dazzling, but it's actually an optical illusion.
The moon looms larger on the horizon next to trees and buildings.
The moon will come within 357,000 kilometers of Earth and turn full around 7:30am EDT (1700 IST), making it the best time to view.
As in any supermoon event, high tides are forecast because of the moon's proximity, but the effect is expected to be small.
Forget about the myths that swirl every time a supermoon appears. There's no link to higher crime or bizarre behavior.
Scientists say that's just lunacy.
(All photos courtesy AFP)
