The supermoon can already be seen in the sky on Tuesday night (1st) in Brazil and in some parts of the world. The “sturgeon moon” is the first of two supermoons that will take to the skies this August, according to the National Observatory of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.
Supermoons occur when the Moon is at 90% of perigee — which is its closest approach to Earth. In this way, the natural satellite will appear larger and brighter in the sky.
They generally appear brighter and larger than other full moons because of their proximity, although they are not always noticeable to the naked eye.
Supermoons are so named, according to the UK’s National Space Centre, because they are up to 30% brighter and appear about 14% larger than full moons that occur at the furthest point from Earth.
This week’s full moon is also called the “sturgeon moon” because it occurs at the time of year when, historically, indigenous peoples of the United States discovered that large freshwater fish were easily caught in the Great Lakes.
The National Observatory claims that the phenomenon, which can be a full or new moon, occurs from one to six times a year. However, in some cases, the Earth-Moon distance is smaller than in others. This is because the moon’s orbit is not circular, but rather elliptical. On average, the distance between the Earth and the Moon is about 382,900 kilometers.
This Tuesday’s supermoon will be 357,530 kilometers away from Earth, according to data from the “Associated Press”.
According to Josina Nascimento, an astronomer at the National Observatory, on November 14, 2016, the closest supermoon to Earth since January 26, 1948 occurred. On that date, the Moon was 356,509 kilometers away from our planet.
According to her, the next time a full moon will come even closer to Earth will be on November 25, 2034.
“Observers will be able to notice a moon brighter than other moons. The phenomenon can be seen in all regions of the planet, as long as the weather is favorable”, says Josina Nascimento.
The second supermoon of August will take place on the 30th. According to “Timeandate”, the moon will be completely full and visible from 22:35, Brasilia time. It will be a “super blue moon”, as it is the second full moon of the month.
Posted by Carolina Farias
Source: CNN Brasil
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