Get ready for The Supermoon

On November 14, 2016, the moon will orbit closer to the earth than at any time since 1948, named a ‘supermoon’, it is defined by a Full or New moon coinciding with the moon’s closest approach to the Earth.  The supermoon will venture to its closest point in 68 years, leaving only 221,524 miles (356,508 km) between Earth and the moon.

Richard Nolle, coined the term supermoon over 30 years ago, but now many in astronomy use it as well.  According to the definition of supermoon coined by Nolle, the year 2016 has a total of six supermoons. The new moons of March, April and May and the full moons of October, November and December all qualify as supermoons. Follow the links below to learn more about super moons and about the supermoons of 2016.

The Full Beaver Moon of November is called the supermoon because the full phase is taking place at the moon’s closest point in its orbit around the Earth, also called the perigee. NASA says the moon will appear slightly larger than a typical full moon, at about 15 percent larger. The moon won’t look this large again until 2034.

The moon turns precisely full on November 14, 2016 at 13:52 UTC. This full moon instant will happen in the morning hours before sunrise November 14 in western North America and on many Pacific islands, east of the International Date Line.

In Asia and Australia, the moon turns precisely full during the evening hours of November 14. In New Zealand, it actually happens after midnight November 15. Around the longitudes of Europe or Africa, look both nights.

The moon will look plenty full and bright all night long on both nights – November 13 and 14 – as it rises in the east around sunset, climbs highest up around midnight, and then sets in the west at or near sunrise.

The moon won’t come this close to Earth again until November 25, 2034.