Super Moon 2016
Another Super Moon? Yes, it does seem that every full moon is now getting labeled as a super moon. That is not the case but we are currently having a 2016 cluster. One super moon just back on October 16th, another due in December and then this week's super Supermoon. There was also the reddish super moon with lunar eclipse which had a doom and gloom red tinge, back in Sept last year.
One definition of the modern day Super Moon:
…a new or full moon which occurs with the moon at or near (within 90% of) its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit (perigee). In short, Earth, moon and sun are all in a line, with moon in its nearest approach to Earth.
Full Moons vary in distance to the earth, but they are always when the Sun/Earth/Moon line up. Sunlight hits the whole of one side of the moon, and is seen as a full moon, because the day lit side is facing us on earth. A Super Moon is a Perigee full moon, the Perigee being the closest point on the moon’s orbit around the earth. The furthest away point is the Apogee. (A for away).
The moon doesn't orbit the earth in a nice circular path or even a symmetrical spherical path. It's a bit offset and so one side of the orbit is closer to the earth. If the full moon occurs right when it's at its nearest point, we get a Super Moon.
On Monday, Nov. 14, the moon is at perigee at 11:22 GMT and will be “opposite” the sun for the full moon at 13:52 GMT.
Halo around the moon
Have I missed it?
No, not in the UK, it will be available again this evening. The full moon is at lunchtime on Monday. The moon will reach Perigee – the moon’s closest point to Earth for this month – around this time but we’ll have to wait until after dark to see it. So, Sunday evening gave some lovely views in southern Britain away from all the cloud and rain further north. Tonight, the moon still will be large and bright but we have a lot of cloud.
What will it look like?
Actually, once the moon has risen well into the night sky, it doesn't look too different. However, it is 30% brighter than usual and will appear 14% bigger. It's just a bit hard to tell. Once the sun sets and it becomes dark this evening, go have a look. This isn’t one of those 'stay up to the small hours' events. And when the moon is low in the sky, it will look big enough that you'll find yourself commenting-
"Oh yes, the moon is big this evening, come and have a look…" / or you may feel the need to post on Social Media
@Netweather or our Facebook page, for lovely lunar photos or disappointed faces with too much cloud
Where should I look?
In the evening, as it turns dark, keep an eye to the east where the moon will rising. An optical illusion makes the moon look much larger as it rises and this is when people get lovely photos with surface objects in the foreground. Such as church spires, birds, tall buildings, for me just my opposite neighbour's house.
The weather
There will be a lot of cloud about. A westerly wind could allow some lee breaks to appear in the cloud cover, for east Wales, NE England, maybe Belfast, Grampian. It will be a mild night with temperatures in double figures. After midnight, a band of frontal rain will push over Scotland so there will be clearer skies for the Western Isles and NW Highlands before dawn as it turns cooler here
It’s too cloudy, so will this affect me at all?
If you are a werewolf, then yes it’s a full moon. Otherwise, we do get higher tides around the full moon time each lunar month. This extra close full moon will accentuate the spring tides even more. This risk will continue Monday and Tuesday.
There were flood alerts for the North Sea coast near Bridlington, Humber estuary and for tidal River Avon at Bristol on Monday from the Environment Agency. By Monday afternoon Morecambe Bay, Mersey and Wye estuaries and Somerset.
In their 5-day forecast:
High spring tides from Tuesday to Thursday may result locally in flooding affecting some coastal roads, paths and promenades leading to some travel disruption. This risk mainly affects coastal parts of the north-east of England and also around the Wye estuary, where there is also the potential for some isolated property flooding.
When is the next one?
Today’s moon path is the closest since 1948, so over 68 years. It won’t come this close again until Nov 2034 , so this is quite a large super moon. There will be more Super Moons, one on Dec 14th but not quite as bright as this one.
Loading recent activity...
