As many of you know, March 19th was a special night for lunar activity. The so called super moon was in full view, and what a sight it was!
I was working that evening, so I did not get to see it rise, but around 12:30 am when I got to my camera the sheer layer of clouds passing overhead made for one very ethereal moon scape.
This lovely occurrence is called a super moon because it appeared 14% bigger and brighter than usual. This is due to the elliptical cycle of the moons orbit. When the moon is on the perigee side (the shorter side of the ellipse) the moon is 50,000 km closer than on the apogee side. Combine that with the full moon hitting the perigee side with in one hour of perfect alignment with the Earth and you get one very big moon!
With all the hype around the occurrence, I wondered, what effects it might have? Not many according to NOAA who says the only side effects are slightly elevated tides. This super moon has come and gone, but if you missed it don't despair, the next one will likely occur in 18 years.
Mark you calendars!
~ Jordan
P.S. Don't forget to enter our current book giveaway: Audubon Guide to Landscape Photography!
*Last time in Nature: Natural Structures
