Giant Moon Rising (19th March)

thetonynator

redsteveireland wrote: »

It doesn't look like there is much chance in seeing it this evening, maybe much later in the night if there is some clearing.

Clearing up here a bit now . . .

jprboy

Full cloud cover here in North Tipp and doesn't look like clearing any time soon judging by radar. Typical, after all the clear skies we've had recently:(

gbee

jprboy wrote: »

Full cloud cover here in North Tipp and doesn't look like clearing any time soon judging by radar. Typical, after all the clear skies we've had recently:(

Yes, I took out my binoculars last night and had a good oogle ... it was too nice to miss, yes I know it was not the exact time but it was still a beautiful moon.

Must say I've not been paying attention to the weather, this muck today took me by surprise.

thetonynator

Clearing in the north west . . .

M.T. Cranium

Looking around the northern hemisphere at weather systems, I would have to say that the effects of perigee are more apparent in swelling up high pressure than deepening low pressure. This is the research finding also.

Events can be seen on each of nine timing lines, and most of them are forming double-centered lows due to the secondary energy peak on March 21 at 00-03 GMT. This separation of 30-33 hours is too fast for systems to all move 40 deg around the hemisphere, so the systems have to accommodate the timing by forming double-centered lows.

There seems to be considerable blocking near timing lines one and three at present so events there are weaker (these are around 90W and 10W). The strongest low pressure response to the full moon is seen at mid-Pacific timing line seven.

I will mention one last time that I think the April 3 energy peak which removes the 30-33h separation of the two groups to a miniscule 3-5 hours, should outperform the "supermoon" even if this new moon at apogee is 28% further from earth than tonight's full moon.

May see the full moon rising here as we have gradual clearing underway at 1250 pm local time. Will try not to bump my head on it although there's nothing much to hurt anyway. -- MTC

Esk1m0

In London on business. Staying in Wimbledon, beautiful clear sky hre tonight. Moon definitely looks quite a bit larger than usual. Been watching it for past hour (from a pub garden after watching the rugby!!:D:D) for the past hour and have noticed that that, despite no obvious clouds in the sky, the moon is accompanied by a thin line of cloud running horizontally across it. I'm a total newbie to posting on this site but would very much like to thank all for keeping my hopes of snow alive and especiallyt for Mr M.T.Cs posts on the Lunar Perigee.

jprboy

gbee wrote: »

Yes, I took out my binoculars last night and had a good oogle ...

People of Cork, close your curtains !

Live webcam of hekla. Look at the size of the moon. Looks lovely


http://www.ruv.is/hekla

Su Campu

It really is bright tonight. I've just been watching it peer through the layer of Sc, with fast-moving Cu whizzing by every so often, and it's a lovely sight. Down towards the mountains it reflecting off some lenticular clouds too, amazing.

dsmythy

M.T. Cranium wrote: »

For the 3 April event, the Moon would be overhead near the Cape Verde Islands at 1433z and moving north in its orbit, which suggests that the Med or northwest Africa might be at greater risk, also the antipodean point being approximately Fiji or New Caledonia suggests Papua-New Guinea, Indonesia, Phillipines area at risk.

There's no way to give precise "odds" but I would think it must be around a 50-50 proposition that there will be another major earthquake in this time frame of now to mid-April.

A 6.4 in the Fiji area and 6.7 in Indonesia in the last 24 hours. Large enough ones in an areas you specified. Do you think there is still the possibility of something larger still or, if there is any activity related to the moon, has the time passed for it yet?

M.T. Cranium

Well, my research only indicates a slight correlation with these energy peaks for earthquakes and volcanic events, so there's really no such thing as an "excluded period" but in terms of stress on the earth's crust from interaction with gravitational waves or tidal forces, there are peaks through today and the 5th, so the period is not over yet. In weather terms, it has turned out much more active in many regions, especially for Ireland with the active weather over the weekend, and in the central U.S. with a major severe weather outbreak Sunday and today.

As to the earthquakes, three fairly significant ones in this general period, the two you mention above and the earlier one near Crete (6.0). I'm hoping that's it for the period, personally, we've had enough death and destruction in the past two years. But a larger quake today or tomorrow would not be much of a surprise.

lolie

Anyone look at the moon rising this eve, fairly big looking. Would it be the same size as the full moon last month?

Stevek101

I thought it was nearly bigger!

je55ie

looks amazing,really big

M.T. Cranium

It is just about the same deal, perigee occurred on Sunday at 06z (0700 summer time) and the full moon is tonight at 03z (approx time, 0400 summer time), so the full moon is only slightly smaller than the giant moon of the previous lunation.

Saturn can be seen well above and to the right of the full moon tonight, and the bright star Spica off to the left of it, and above the moon.

Deep Easterly

M.T. Cranium wrote: »

It is just about the same deal, perigee occurred on Sunday at 06z (0700 summer time) and the full moon is tonight at 03z (approx time, 0400 summer time), so the full moon is only slightly smaller than the giant moon of the previous lunation.

.

I seen the rising moon earlier on alright and twas big.

M.T, are you of the mind that the moon is actually not bigger when on the horizon than it is when it is in its zenith? I heard recently that the moon only looks bigger when low in the sky because we can measure it with our perceptions better due to the fact that our minds use foreground objects such as trees and bulldings etc to measure it against. What are your thoughts on this, because the moon right now looks a lot smaller than it did earlier on now that it is higher but not sure if this just perception or not?

Harps

I really noticed the moon earlier, quite spectacular with a bright orange glow on the horizon.

True about the fact that it looks bigger when its lower in the sky, obviously the fact that its in your line of sight makes it stand out more but I have no idea on any scientific reasoning

M.T. Cranium

That's my understanding, DE, but I have read that refraction near the horizon can be a factor in calm clear weather. Just went out and had a look at the moon here, it's clear and about 10:40 p.m. so the Moon is a fair distance above the horizon, but I think it would be hard to say it looked larger than the average full moon tonight. Can see both Saturn and Spica and with the Moon being near perigee it has moved quite a way past them already.

eskimocat

My back garden was flooded by moonlight last night, it was just gorgeous! I love when you can see so much detail on the surface of the mooon.

dexter647

Wow beautiful red moon tonight.... Would that be due to sand from the sahara in the atmosphere??

eskimocat

Nope can see nothing tonight... to far down the glen.. bet its spectacular but still not heading out in the car lol

Deep Easterly

Tried but failed to capture the moon on my cheapo camera tonight. Was a ominous dull red (due to light upper haze) when rising then turned an orangey yellowy sort of colour:

bad caputre but taken about 20 mins ago out the country:



Colour is about right but I have could not focus the lens in properly due to lack of light.

Lumi

Hazy golden moon over Galway City tonight - beautiful !

cherryghost

Yeah it looks quite amazing from here, there's a low level mist setting in here, looks kinda creepy!

nacho libre

Deep Easterly wrote: »

Tried but failed to capture the moon on my cheapo camera tonight. Was a ominous dull red (due to light upper haze) when rising then turned an orangey yellowy sort of colour:

bad caputre but taken about 20 mins ago out the country:



Colour is about right but I have could not focus the lens in properly due to lack of light.

Are you doing this, paddy1?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXko2YCuZa8

Joe Public

Just happened to take this photo a bit earlier as I was also taken by its unusual orange colour.

mickger844posts

My effort from last night in Waterford City


http://twitpic.com/4mkpzs

up for anything

Is there another one of those moons tonight? It's not orange but it's huge.

M.T. Cranium

Good spot, the Moon was at perigee on Sunday. The period (interval) between perigees averages 27.55 days while it's 29.53 days from full moon to full moon. That's why the perigee is moving ahead of full moon as we get deeper into the spring and summer. By November and December perigee will be at new moon.

One other thing you may notice about the Moon this week, it stays very low in the south, and that's because it's basically at the position of the December sun. There's probably a thread about this somewhere, but on Wednesday evening the full moon will rise eclipsed (for western Europe, I won't see any part of it here).