biggest full moon in two decades

Morag

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/38/20110309/tsc-world-to-see-biggest-full-moon-in-tw-98fda55.html

The world is set to experience the biggest full moon for almost two decades when the satellite reaches its closest point to Earth next weekend. Skip related content
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On 19 March, the full moon will appear unusually large in the night sky as it reaches a point in its cycle known as 'lunar perigee'.

Stargazers will be treated to a spectacular view when the moon approaches Earth at a distance of 221,567 miles in its elliptical orbit - the closest it will have passed to our planet since 1992.

The full moon could appear up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter in the sky, especially when it rises on the eastern horizon at sunset or is provided with the right atmospheric conditions.

This phenomenon has reportedly heightened concerns about 'supermoons' being linked to extreme weather events - such as earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis. The last time the moon passed close to the Earth was on 10 January 2005, around the time of the Indonesian earthquake that measured 9.0 on the Richter scale.

Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was also associated with an unusually large full moon.

Previous supermoons occurred in 1955, 1974 and 1992 - each of these years experienced extreme weather events, killing thousands of people.

However, an expert speaking to Yahoo! News today believes that a larger moon causing weather chaos is a popular misconception.

Dr Tim O'Brien, a researcher at the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester, said: "The dangers are really overplayed. You do get a bit higher than average tides than usual along coastlines as a result of the moon's gravitational pull, but nothing so significant that will cause a serious climatic disaster or anything for people to worry about."

But according to Dr Victor Gostin, a Planetary and Environmental Geoscientist at Adelaide University, there may be a link between large-scale earthquakes in places around the equator and new and full moon situations.

He said: "This is because the Earth-tides (analogous to ocean tides) may be the final trigger that sets off the earthquake."

Written by Gaby Leslie

El_Duderino 09

That is a fascinating idea. Is there any evidence for it or just the correlation with the events mentioned in 1995?

I have a very unscientific hypothesis that the moon phase affects my mood. have been feeling rubbish up until the last couple of days. Anyone else feel similar about moon and mood?

Urizen

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

I have a very unscientific hypothesis that the moon phase affects my mood. have been feeling rubbish up until the last couple of days. Anyone else feel similar about moon and mood?

Oh yeah. But I tend to be more hyperactive and impulsive. Generally feeling great. Could well be coincidence though.

El_Duderino 09

Urizen wrote: »

Oh yeah. But I tend to be more hyperactive and impulsive. Generally feeling great. Could well be coincidence though.

That is how I have been feeling in the last couple of days. Went for a swim last night and couldn't get enough, where I could hardly be bothered going for a swim for the last couple of weeks.

I completely agree that it could be coincidence. I wonder if the moon has been particularly far away recently or if there is a factor like that involved though.

Like I say, it's an hypothesis and not scientific but I can't help wanting to look into it.

Does anyone else feel like that or have any light to shed?

Morag

I'm a lunatic, the encrouching full moon has always seemed to have an effect.
Then again it is big enough to pull the tides around the planet and the human body is about 80% water. Spring tides are going to be high this year.

blacktalons

The earth and it's beasties seemed to have faired well the last 4.5 billion years. I don't think an earthquake or a supermoon that happens every so often is going to cause a sudden end. Nor do I think 2012 is going to be the end. every year I start my calendar over to January 1 and the world doesn't end. All of this is scare tactics to make money and cause drama.relax,the world is not going to end !

hogflem

I had the best taiji class I think Ive ever had the other night,everything about my body movement was spot on,I couldn't believe it,usually I find fault with something,the other night I couldn't,the moon is very important to me all year round,but the connection is quite strong just now.

Morag

blacktalons wrote: »

The earth and it's beasties seemed to have faired well the last 4.5 billion years. I don't think an earthquake or a supermoon that happens every so often is going to cause a sudden end. Nor do I think 2012 is going to be the end. every year I start my calendar over to January 1 and the world doesn't end. All of this is scare tactics to make money and cause drama.relax,the world is not going to end !

No body here mentioned impending DOOM or being worried.

blacktalons

Sharrow wrote: »

No body here mentioned impending DOOM or being worried.

neither did i !!.can you read? book a visit to specsavers.

hogflem

I think Blacktalons mistook your opinion on the spring tides and the pull of the moon,for a declaration of worlds end,obviously not a moon child.Perhaps Blacktalons should've googled the words,"Moon,pagan&full...and then Blacktalons might have had some sort of Idea as to the contents of the thread entitled"biggest full moon in two decades".

El_Duderino 09

Would I be right in saying that the moon comes this close more often and this is a more infrequent event because its a full moon? Like 27 times more infrequent?

Urizen

Clouds are not our friends

hogflem

Urizen wrote: »

Clouds are not our friends

Depends what you're looking for in a friend,If your after advice,and you know how to look,then the clouds could prove very valuable.

Urizen

hogflem wrote: »

Depends what you're looking for in a friend,If your after advice,and you know how to look,then the clouds could prove very valuable.

I'm not altogether well versed in aeromancy, mostly due to it being about as useful as divination by pancakes. I'm still pretty sure you're screwing with me though. Otherwise I'm worried, since I was just pointing out that clouds made me miss the awesome moon of awesome awesomeness, and I was displeased.

In fact, you might even say that divination by clouds is all up in the air!

hogflem

Yeah,I figured the clouds blocking the moon thing out about 2 minutes after I pressed the submit button,I wasn't being a smartarse or anything like that,I find cloud gazing a little more challanging than a pile of pancakes though,we got to see the moon in clare for a good while,to be honest it was a lot brighter than usual,not noticeably bigger,still a beautiful site to behold all the same.Sorry you didn't get to see it:)