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About the supermoon

The scientists and astronomers have been scratching their heads for decades into the unsolved mysteries of the universe.

Man’s curiosity about what is happening on other planets and objects starts with his focus on the Moon.

2017 has been a remarkable year during which mankind witnessed a series of celestial events for the first eleven months and are expecting more on December.

The consequence started at January 9th, 2016 when Venus and Saturn came so close up to a point where they seemed like kissing each other. Such an event has not been witnessed in decades or longer.

However, both planets were pretty far apart in the great dome of the sky.
Another fascinating celestial event from last year was a series of Super moons, happening three times respectively on October, November, and December.

A full moon occurs when the moon lines up on the side of the earth, opposite to the sun.

Astronomers came up with a new term “Perigee- Syzygy” or Super moon. Actually, the word “Perigee” stands for a point in the orbit of the Moon.

When our celestial neighbour comes closest to Earth, a distance of about 221,525 miles.

However, media and press fluke to put into practice the term “Supermoon,” first came up by astronomer Richard Nolle. Super moon would have given us an idea of a point where the Moon is closest to Earth, within 90%, making it the closest approach in its orbit.

The reason behind the discrimination is Moon’s elliptical or oval-shaped orbit.

On average, the moon does happen to locate at about 238,900 miles away from earth, while the farthest orbital point regard as “Apogee” when it is 5% more distant from earth as to “Perigee” is the closest point when it comes 5% closer.

In order to witness the Supermoon, the spectator should go to lower light pollution areas, in the south with a clear sky, keeping mind of the fact, the closer the Moon is to the horizon, the bigger it will appear after the sunset.

Anybody could witness without any telescopes, since it is generally the outcome of an optical illusion.

If someone missed it out at one night due to cloudy weather, they can still have a look the other night.

Since the difference in distance of the moon from Earth is quite subtle from one to the next night there wouldn’t be much change in the view.

The series has a beginning with an October Moon, assigned an especial denomination of “Hunter Moon” due to its early appearance soon after the sunset as it generates more light for the farmers working in the fields and hunter’s spot wildlife.

Followed by the “Harvest Moon” of September (though these nick names are kinda complicated and changed very often). The next of the series observed on 14th of November, people across the world spectated a Supermoon long observed in 1948, after a period of 69 years. A sight quite visible once in a generation. Some of the astronomers from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have said as “undeniably beautiful,” not only the closest and brightest but also the largest one among a series of three consecutive Supermoons.

It reached a peak of its phase on Monday morning (8:52 EST GMT), in Pakistan around 7:20 pm. when the moon was 14%bigger& 30% brighter, the brightest and closest moon since 1948. Nothing would match it until the moon makes a similar approach on Nov 2034. The sequence ended with a full cold moon on December 14th, that wiped out the view of Geminid meteor shower since the brightest moon reduces the visibility of faint meteor shower up to an extent of 5-10 times.
Consequently, our cosmic companion is about to put its next best show on 3rd of December at 10:47 a.m. ET (15:47 UT).

Though it would be the 4th Supermoon of the ongoing year. Unluckily, we were unable to gaze at recent three of them with the naked eye.

On the night of 3rd December, our celestial neighbor would appear around 16% brighter and 7% larger than usual.

Astronomy lovers all around the world are going to hang out once again with a fantastic event just after the local sunset.

Just in case anybody of you misses it, there is nothing to worry about. The Moons of 2nd and 31st of January 2018 would also be Supermoons.

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