On Tuesday night (14), it will be possible to observe the phenomenon known as the Supermoon. It happens when the Full Moon or New Moon coincides with the moment when the star is closest to Earth, called perigee. When this happens, the Moon can appear bigger and brighter.
The astronomer at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) Daniel Mello explains that the size of the star does not change, only the perception of size to the human eye. In general, the phenomenon occurs two to three times a year. In 2022, according to the researcher, it will be possible to see the Supermoon both in June and in July, and the next occurrence will only be in 2023.
“As the Moon is closer to Earth, it actually gets brighter than the other full moons, but the point is that, when observing, it is difficult to compare with the other full moons that the person has seen. But if you can compare through photos, you can tell the difference more easily. This is an increase of about 11% in size”, says the astronomer and coordinator at the Valongo Observatory at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
The astronomer’s tip is to observe the phenomenon around 6 pm, when the moon begins to appear.
“The event is visible throughout Brazil, it starts around 6 pm and goes until 6 am on the 15th. There are practically 12 hours of observation. In my opinion, the best time to observe is when it is emerging. If you look to the East around 6 pm, you will see it very low on the horizon, gaining a view that it is much bigger than it is”, says the researcher.
Observation at the Rio Planetarium
The planetarium in Rio de Janeiro, in Gávea, will open its doors for students and interested parties to observe the sky from 18:00h. Astronomers will also attend the free session to ask questions about the phenomenon. Entrance is subject to space capacity and takes place through the distribution of passwords.
100 tickets will be distributed for entry at 5:30 pm, 30 minutes before the start of the activity. The planetarium points out that the observation of the sky depends on weather conditions and can be canceled if the weather is cloudy or rainy.
According to the Alerta Rio system, there is no forecast of rain for the night period and the sky should be partially cloudy.
*under the supervision of Isabelle Resende
Source: CNN Brasil
