What do you know about 'supermoon'?

(Baonghean.vn) - The supermoon that appeared tonight (November 14) this year is the biggest supermoon in nearly 68 years and will appear again on November 25, 2034. So what is a supermoon? Do you understand anything about the supermoon? Below are discoveries about the supermoon phenomenon.

The biggest supermoon of the 21st century will appear on November 14, 2016.

1 - What is a supermoon?

A supermoon is a term used to describe the moon being at its closest point to Earth in its orbit around Earth. According to NASA, the moon orbits in an elliptical orbit, with one end called perigee (the closest point to Earth). This point is 48,280 km closer to Earth than the end called apogee (the farthest point from Earth).

The moment when the Sun, Moon, and Earth align is called syzygy. When the moment of perigee falls on the new moon, the Moon appears much larger and brighter than usual and is called a supermoon or perigee full moon.

During a supermoon, the Moon will be at its closest point to Earth, about 360,000km away. The supermoon will appear 14% larger and 30% brighter than when the Moon is at its farthest point in its orbit.

The moon will reach perigee at 8:52 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on November 14, and the full moon will peak about 2-3 hours later. Photo: Getty.

2 - Supermoons happen once a year

Supermoons occur about once a year, sometimes more, and can be seen in both the northern and southern hemispheres. This year’s supermoon, which occurs on November 14, is the largest supermoon of the 21st century. If you miss it on Monday night, you’ll have to wait until November 25, 2034, to see the next one.

3 - Supermoon does not affect Earth and humans

A supermoon occurs when it is at perigee - the point in its orbit that brings it closest to Earth - and at its fullest phase. A supermoon is a normal phenomenon because the moon moves in an elliptical orbit, and it should not affect Earth's orbit.

Studies have also shown that full moons of any kind do not affect human behavior. Full moons and supermoons do not cause mental disorders, psychosis, murder or any other crime as some theories have suggested.

After November 14, the third supermoon of the year will appear on December 14 but it will not be as big and bright. Photo: Getty.

4 - Not all supermoons are the same

The distance between the Earth and the moon can vary by an Earth diameter in any given month. While that may sound like a big number, on average the moon is about 30 Earth diameters away from our planet. The sun's gravity is responsible for this variation in its orbit.

5 - Winter supermoon looks bigger

Does the moon look bigger in the winter? Yes. The Earth is closest to the sun each December, which means the sun's gravity pulls the moon closer to our planet. Because of this effect, the biggest supermoons always appear in the winter.

Supermoon on May 5, 2012 in Woburn, Massachusetts.

6 - Supermoons change tides, but not much

The supermoon may have some effect on the tides, but it certainly doesn't cause natural disasters. The full moon causes the tides to be slightly higher than on other days. The supermoon only causes the tides to rise by about an inch...

7 - Future supermoons will be smaller

Because the moon is slowly moving away from Earth at a rate of about 3.8 centimeters per year, future supermoons will appear smaller than they do now.

Scientists believe that when it first formed, the moon was about 22,530 km away from Earth, but today it is about 384,402 km away from us on average.

The Moon's orbit around the Earth (photo by thuvienvatly).

8 - Supermoon in Vietnam on November 14, 2016

According to Sciencealert, on November 14, 2016, the Moon appeared closest to Earth since 1948, so astronomy lovers can admire the image of the supermoon. You should not miss this special event because it will not be until November 25, 2034, which means you will have to wait another 18 years to have the opportunity to admire it again.

According to experts, this is the third supermoon this year but it is the most impressive, the biggest and the most anticipated. In Vietnam, we can also observe the supermoon phenomenon. The maximum time occurs at 19:52 on November 14, 2016.

Peace

(Synthetic)