The brightest moon in almost 69 years is lit up the sky in a treat for star watchers around the globe.
The phenomenon known as the supermoon reached its peak luminescence in North America before dawn on Monday. Its zenith in Asia and the South Pacific was Monday night. Across the international dateline in New Zealand, it reached its brightest after midnight Tuesday local time.
The moon orbits the Earth in an oval shape. The moon will be at its brightest this week because it is coming closer to the Earth along its elliptical orbit than at any time since January 1948. The supermoon will also bring stronger than usual high tides, followed by plunging low tides the next morning.
Viewers can expect to see a moon about 14 percent larger in diameter and about 30 percent brighter than when it’s at its furthest distance from the earth. It won’t be as big and bright again for another 18 years.
NASA says its closest approach will occur at 6:21 a.m. EST (1121 GMT) Monday when the moon comes within 221,523 miles (356,508 kilometers). That’s from the center of the Earth to the center of the moon. Full moon will occur at 8:52 a.m. EST (1352 GMT).
According to the astronomy website earthsky.org, the term supermoon entered usage five years ago when the closest full moon fell on March 19, 2011. The scientific term is perigee full moon.
In 2034, the moon will come even closer, within 221,485 miles (356,456 kilometers). That, too, will be a supermoon.
The moon rises over Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, Monday, Nov. 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
A jet plane flies across the moon seen from Beijing, China, Monday, Nov. 14, 2016. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
The supermoon sets behind the CN tower in Toronto on Monday, Nov. 14, 2016. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
The supermoon sets behind the Philadelphia skyline on Monday, Nov. 14, 2016.(AP Photo/Joseph Kaczmarek)
The moon rises over the Arch in St. Louis, as seen from the Compton Hill Water Tower on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016. (David Carson/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)
The moon rises beyond downtown buildings Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016, in Kansas City, Mo.(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
Great photos. Thanks for sharing them.
Moonlight is colorless. The photos showing a colored moon are an indication of severe air pollution in the area where the photographs were taken.
hmmm, well yes, thanks for that take on it…but do you ever just enjoy something Gerald?
Every guy should do something old-fashioned. Take your girl outside, lay a blanket on the ground and enjoy the scene. If it leads to some other activity all the better.
The Super Moon wants Trump to make America great again!