Get Ready for the Supermoon!

All sorts of things are believed to happen when the moon is full – strange behavior, mothers going into labor, arrests. But what happens when the moon is fuller and bigger than normal? Well, if things are odder than usual this Saturday it may be because this month’s full moon is going to be a “supermoon."

According to NASA, “Full Moons vary in size because of the oval shape of the Moon's orbit. The Moon follows an elliptical path around Earth with one side ("perigee") about 50,000 km closer than the other ("apogee").  Full Moons that occur on the perigee side of the Moon's orbit seem extra big and bright.” Thus earning perigee moon’s the nickname “supermoon.”

The moon will officially become full Saturday at 11:35 p.m. EDT and because this month's full moon coincides with the moon's perigee, it will be 15% bigger and 30% brighter than other full moon’s this year.

Since the moon's perigee coincides with full moon this month, it will also be the nearest to Earth of the year, coming a mere 221,802 miles (356,955 kilometers) from our planet.

According to NASA, the moon will reach perigee at 11:34 pm. “Only one minute later, the Moon will line up with Earth and the sun to become gloriously full.  The timing is almost perfect.”

And while there may or may not be truth to the belief that the full moon brings out the crazy and unusual, the supermoon will cause extra-high "perigean tides." The perigee moon will exert a stronger tidal force and tides could be anywhere from one to six inches higher. However, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration this is nothing to worry about.  

The last supermoon occurred on March 19^th, 2011. According to NASA, the best way to see Saturday’s supermoon is to look for it just after it rises or just before it sets, when it is close to the horizon.

For all you moon gazers out there, make sure you send us your pictures of Saturday’s supermoon!