Suuuuper Moon!!!

twilyth · 05-03-2012, 08:36 PM

On Saturday, the moon will be at its perigee (opposite of apogee) and will appear 16% larger, but sometimes the effect can be pretty dramatic.

Quote:

Astronomers call it perigee-syzygy; the rest of us call it "supermoon." Either way, the alignment of the sun and moon will coincide with the moon's closest approach to Earth on Saturday (May 5), resulting in the biggest full moon of the year. But don't worry, it won't break Earth.

Saturday's supermoon will be especially super. Richard Nolle, the astrologer who coined the term "supermoon," defined it as a full moon that occurs within 12 hours of lunar perigee, or the point in the moon's slightly non-circular monthly orbit when it swings closest to our planet. On Saturday, the timing of the two events will be almost perfect: the moon will reach its perigee distance of 221,802 miles (356,955 kilometers) — the closest lunar perigee of 2012, in fact — at 11:34 p.m. Eastern Time, and it will fall in line with the sun (thereby becoming full) just one minute later.

Thus, our satellite will loom even larger than the supermoon of March 19, 2011, when perigee and full moon fell 50 minutes apart. Nonetheless, just as last year's supermoon passed by without triggering any of the earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and chaos that were predicted by some corners of the Internet, this year's event will almost certainly be similarly tame. Seismologists have found no evidence to believe that supermoons heighten seismic activity — at least not over and above the effects of run-of-the-mill moons.

Under normal conditions, the moon is close enough to Earth to make its weighty presence felt:

It causes the ebb and flow of the ocean tides. The moon's gravity can even cause small but measureable ebbs and flows in the continents, called "land tides" or "solid Earth tides," too. The tides are greatest during full and new moons, when the sun and moon are aligned either on the opposite or same sides of the Earth. [Photos: Mysterious Objects Spotted on the Moon]

More at link

yogurt_21 · 05-03-2012, 10:14 PM

uh oh, well I guess I can't be held responsible for the people I kill during this time, I mean it's not like you choose to be a fucking warewolf.

twilyth · 05-03-2012, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yogurt_21

uh oh, well I guess I can't be held responsible for the people I kill during this time, I mean it's not like you choose to be a fucking warewolf.

Just say Nooooooo - oh - oh - oooooooooo

erocker · 05-04-2012, 01:02 AM

I always feel good during a full moon. I'm going to be outside so I can suck up the super moon's magical powers.

theJesus · 05-04-2012, 01:29 AM

Hmm, CSaturday, eh? I might actually go outside to take a look at this then.

FordGT90Concept · 05-04-2012, 03:12 AM

It don't look any bigger now.

remixedcat · 05-04-2012, 03:19 AM

I saw a big red blood moon before several times...

twilyth · 05-04-2012, 03:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by remixedcat

I saw a big red blood moon before several times...

Yeah, a lot depends on atmospheric conditions.

Sometimes it looks 3 or 4 times bigger. I remember one time years ago, it wasn't even dark out. I think it was late afternoon. I couldn't believe it. We were sitting in traffic and I just kept staring.

It seems that it's always low in the sky when this happens. I'm not sure, but in all of the pictures I've seen and the few times IRL, that seems to be how it is.

razaron · 05-04-2012, 03:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by remixedcat

I saw a big red blood moon before several times...

That wasn't a moon...

razaron · 05-04-2012, 03:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twilyth

Yeah, a lot depends on atmospheric conditions.

Sometimes it looks 3 or 4 times bigger. I remember one time years ago, it wasn't even dark out. I think it was late afternoon. I couldn't believe it. We were sitting in traffic and I just kept staring.

It seems that it's always low in the sky when this happens. I'm not sure, but in all of the pictures I've seen and the few times IRL, that seems to be how it is.

I remember when a saw this phenomena as a kid. I was in a car and the moon was the colour of an ancient scroll, it also took up most of the window.

Damn_Smooth · 05-04-2012, 03:51 AM

I must be immature. I came in to this thread expecting a story about something other than our satellite.

driver66 · 05-04-2012, 03:58 AM

The moon ALWAYS looks bigger when it is on the horizon...; You have objects to compare it to...

remixedcat · 05-04-2012, 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twilyth

Yeah, a lot depends on atmospheric conditions.

Sometimes it looks 3 or 4 times bigger. I remember one time years ago, it wasn't even dark out. I think it was late afternoon. I couldn't believe it. We were sitting in traffic and I just kept staring.

It seems that it's always low in the sky when this happens. I'm not sure, but in all of the pictures I've seen and the few times IRL, that seems to be how it is.

yah the one I saw was low as well one time it sorta looked like a pizza! made me hungry and order a pizza! LMNASO

theJesus · 05-05-2012, 12:04 AM

I noticed that the moon looked bigger the other night on my way to work.

HossHuge · 05-05-2012, 11:45 AM

As the first one to see the moon tonight may I say that ya it does look bigger! My sons and I took a moment tonight to observe it.

entropy13 · 05-05-2012, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HossHuge

As the first one to see the moon tonight may I say that ya it does look bigger! My sons and I took a moment tonight to observe it.

Nothing to see over here as the sky is full of clouds. LOLOLOLOL

twilyth · 05-05-2012, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by entropy13

Nothing to see over here as the sky is full of clouds. LOLOLOLOL

Those aren't clouds, it's the backside of a huge space mirror the chinese are using to hog all of the beauty that would otherwise wash down on the Phillipines.

m1dg3t · 05-05-2012, 03:01 PM

The earth looked bigger, albeit momentarily but still....

Screaming Beaver · 05-05-2012, 03:14 PM

Its cloudy out, suppose I can hope it clears before tonight

entropy13 · 05-05-2012, 06:14 PM

Finally the sky's clearer, I can see the moon itself now. Instead of the moonlight illuminating just the clouds, there's moonlight reaching through our 2nd floor window and into the floor (the lights are turned off; the only other sources of light are the PC and monitor).

theJesus · 05-05-2012, 08:37 PM

I forgot.

_JP_ · 05-05-2012, 11:40 PM

I just see it brighter.

m1dg3t · 05-06-2012, 06:59 AM

We were out observing the moon tonight as we have an EXCELLENT view from the street and what a marvelous sight! I can't recall the last time the moon was so ominous/luminous in the night sky, I had to wear sunglasses! Seriously.

We got more than we bargained for, I had to stop a couple people who were walking down the street to confirm what we were witnessing as we could not believe our eyes! Let me just say my objective view of "reality" and my perspective changed immensely tonight. Not because of the moon. I am very interested/excited to see what the future has in store for us.

My friend and I observed for over an hour and we had a total of 4 people observing for roughly 15/20 minutes, we were/are blown away! I wish I had some good optics that would've allowed me to capture what we saw. Hopefully we weren't the only one's.

theJesus · 05-06-2012, 03:20 PM

Were you smoking?

twilyth · 05-06-2012, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m1dg3t

We were out observing the moon tonight as we have an EXCELLENT view from the street and what a marvelous sight! I can't recall the last time the moon was so ominous/luminous in the night sky, I had to wear sunglasses! Seriously.

We got more than we bargained for, I had to stop a couple people who were walking down the street to confirm what we were witnessing as we could not believe our eyes! Let me just say my objective view of "reality" and my perspective changed immensely tonight. Not because of the moon. I am very interested/excited to see what the future has in store for us.

My friend and I observed for over an hour and we had a total of 4 people observing for roughly 15/20 minutes, we were/are blown away! I wish I had some good optics that would've allowed me to capture what we saw. Hopefully we weren't the only one's.

If you were trolling me. Congrats. Very well done.

If not, that sounds very, very nice and I'm extremely envious. It's been overcast for day's here - I think. It was last night and prior to that it had rained for a few days. So once again I was snaked on seeing some interesting astronomy.

A simple 8x30mm binoculars is a good investment for such things. The magnification is low enough that you don't need a tripod. However for sky watching, go for a narrow field of view. Most bino's try to sell you on an ultra wide FOV, but I think for seeing some thing in night sky you want something with a more narrow focus.

05-03-2012, 10:14 PM	#2
yogurt_21 Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Arizona, USA Posts: 3,442 Thanks: 7,284 Thanked 1,644 Times in 981 Posts Dislikes: 69 Disliked 19 Times in 16 Posts	uh oh, well I guess I can't be held responsible for the people I kill during this time, I mean it's not like you choose to be a fucking warewolf. __________________ 1 WITCH. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd. 2 WITCH. Thrice and once, the hedge-pig whin'd. 3 WITCH. Harpier cries:—'tis time! 'tis time! 1 WITCH. Round about the caldron go; In the poison'd entrails throw.— Toad, that under cold stone, Days and nights has thirty-one; Swelter'd venom sleeping got, Boil thou first i' the charmed pot! ALL. Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and caldron bubble.

05-04-2012, 01:29 AM	#5
theJesus I QUIT MAH JERB! Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Where the broken things are Posts: 18,909 Thanks: 21,112 Thanked 8,762 Times in 5,563 Posts Dislikes: 445 Disliked 192 Times in 167 Posts	Hmm, CSaturday, eh? I might actually go outside to take a look at this then. __________________ "Oh come on. Quit making excuses already. Even in a weird position, and doing it manualy, it only takes a couple of minutes. You are just being OCD about it or something." - Wile E "OMG the chair I'm sitting on! It has a penus!! " - Black Panther "Signatures should not contain quotes. It makes no sense." - DanTheBanjoman I doesnt afraid of anything!

05-04-2012, 03:12 AM	#6
FordGT90Concept Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: IA, USA Posts: 18,434 Thanks: 5,020 Thanked 4,977 Times in 3,394 Posts Dislikes: 133 Disliked 139 Times in 129 Posts	It don't look any bigger now. __________________ Doc, note: I dissent. A fast never prevents a fatness. I diet on cod. . --Professor Peter Hilton

05-04-2012, 03:19 AM	#7
remixedcat Skooma Addicted Moderator Join Date: May 2010 Location: a dream within a dream Posts: 10,496 Thanks: 4,684 Thanked 4,943 Times in 3,049 Posts Dislikes: 127 Disliked 101 Times in 83 Posts	I saw a big red blood moon before several times... __________________ "stop my bleeding with your hand or let me fly to heaven my friend, 45 seconds from now on the rest of my life.....rescue me or let me fly tonight!"

05-05-2012, 12:04 AM	#14
theJesus I QUIT MAH JERB! Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Where the broken things are Posts: 18,909 Thanks: 21,112 Thanked 8,762 Times in 5,563 Posts Dislikes: 445 Disliked 192 Times in 167 Posts	I noticed that the moon looked bigger the other night on my way to work. __________________ "Oh come on. Quit making excuses already. Even in a weird position, and doing it manualy, it only takes a couple of minutes. You are just being OCD about it or something." - Wile E "OMG the chair I'm sitting on! It has a penus!! " - Black Panther "Signatures should not contain quotes. It makes no sense." - DanTheBanjoman I doesnt afraid of anything!

05-04-2012, 01:02 AM	#4
erocker Super Moderator Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 4,762 Thanks: 1,015 Thanked 4,206 Times in 1,991 Posts Dislikes: 94 Disliked 46 Times in 40 Posts	I always feel good during a full moon. I'm going to be outside so I can suck up the super moon's magical powers.

05-04-2012, 03:51 AM	#11
Damn_Smooth Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 637 Thanks: 2,658 Thanked 404 Times in 213 Posts Dislikes: 60 Disliked 9 Times in 9 Posts	I must be immature. I came in to this thread expecting a story about something other than our satellite.

05-04-2012, 03:58 AM	#12
driver66 Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 71 Thanks: 284 Thanked 19 Times in 11 Posts Dislikes: 3 Disliked 1 Time in 1 Post	The moon ALWAYS looks bigger when it is on the horizon...; You have objects to compare it to...

05-05-2012, 11:45 AM	#15
HossHuge Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,133 Thanks: 663 Thanked 1,360 Times in 583 Posts Dislikes: 8 Disliked 32 Times in 18 Posts	As the first one to see the moon tonight may I say that ya it does look bigger! My sons and I took a moment tonight to observe it.

05-05-2012, 03:01 PM	#18
m1dg3t Banned Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Brampton Posts: 3,834 Thanks: 4,974 Thanked 1,881 Times in 1,331 Posts Dislikes: 0 Disliked 89 Times in 74 Posts	The earth looked bigger, albeit momentarily but still....

05-05-2012, 03:14 PM	#19
Screaming Beaver Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 2,912 Thanks: 828 Thanked 1,874 Times in 1,026 Posts Dislikes: 85 Disliked 27 Times in 21 Posts	Its cloudy out, suppose I can hope it clears before tonight __________________ Matt Taibbi Quotes Morality is so trite You know what, Mike Bloomberg? FCK YOU* ...In a society governed passively by free markets and free elections, organized greed always defeats disorganized democracy.

05-05-2012, 06:14 PM	#20
entropy13 Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Philippines Posts: 4,444 Thanks: 79 Thanked 4,444 Times in 1,488 Posts Dislikes: 21 Disliked 171 Times in 144 Posts	Finally the sky's clearer, I can see the moon itself now. Instead of the moonlight illuminating just the clouds, there's moonlight reaching through our 2nd floor window and into the floor (the lights are turned off; the only other sources of light are the PC and monitor). __________________ "Sir, we're surrounded!" "Good! We can attack in any direction!" ------- "Io credo ch'ei credette ch'io credesse." - "I think perhaps he thought that I was thinking." ------- "I used to be indecisive, but now I'm not sure."

05-05-2012, 08:37 PM	#21
theJesus I QUIT MAH JERB! Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Where the broken things are Posts: 18,909 Thanks: 21,112 Thanked 8,762 Times in 5,563 Posts Dislikes: 445 Disliked 192 Times in 167 Posts	I forgot. __________________ "Oh come on. Quit making excuses already. Even in a weird position, and doing it manualy, it only takes a couple of minutes. You are just being OCD about it or something." - Wile E "OMG the chair I'm sitting on! It has a penus!! " - Black Panther "Signatures should not contain quotes. It makes no sense." - DanTheBanjoman I doesnt afraid of anything!

05-05-2012, 11:40 PM	#22
_JP_ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Debtugal Posts: 2,374 Thanks: 6,564 Thanked 2,305 Times in 980 Posts Dislikes: 85 Disliked 12 Times in 10 Posts	I just see it brighter.

05-06-2012, 06:59 AM	#23
m1dg3t Banned Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Brampton Posts: 3,834 Thanks: 4,974 Thanked 1,881 Times in 1,331 Posts Dislikes: 0 Disliked 89 Times in 74 Posts	We were out observing the moon tonight as we have an EXCELLENT view from the street and what a marvelous sight! I can't recall the last time the moon was so ominous/luminous in the night sky, I had to wear sunglasses! Seriously. We got more than we bargained for, I had to stop a couple people who were walking down the street to confirm what we were witnessing as we could not believe our eyes! Let me just say my objective view of "reality" and my perspective changed immensely tonight. Not because of the moon. I am very interested/excited to see what the future has in store for us. My friend and I observed for over an hour and we had a total of 4 people observing for roughly 15/20 minutes, we were/are blown away! I wish I had some good optics that would've allowed me to capture what we saw. Hopefully we weren't the only one's.

05-06-2012, 03:20 PM	#24
theJesus I QUIT MAH JERB! Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Where the broken things are Posts: 18,909 Thanks: 21,112 Thanked 8,762 Times in 5,563 Posts Dislikes: 445 Disliked 192 Times in 167 Posts	Were you smoking? __________________ "Oh come on. Quit making excuses already. Even in a weird position, and doing it manualy, it only takes a couple of minutes. You are just being OCD about it or something." - Wile E "OMG the chair I'm sitting on! It has a penus!! " - Black Panther "Signatures should not contain quotes. It makes no sense." - DanTheBanjoman I doesnt afraid of anything!

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