If you’ve noticed the moon looking bigger and brighter over the last few nights, you may already know about the Supermoon. To be honest, you’ll probably have heard about it thanks to the huge amounts of coverage it’s been getting on TV, Radio and Social Media.
But in case you’re kids ask you what it is, here’s some helpful facts to make you sound like the scientific guru you might not be!
- A Supermoon is the coincidence of a full moon or a new moon with the closest approach the Moon makes to the Earth on its orbit,
- The term “Supermoon” is not astronomical, but originated in modern astrology.
- The name SuperMoon was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979.
- The association of the Moon with both oceanic and crustal tides has led to suggestions that the Supermoon phenomenon may be associated with increased risk of events such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, sadly the events in New Zealand make this theory sound realistic.
- The Supermoon will appear 15% larger than the smallest moon you will see in the night sky.