A Supermoon Trilogy

A supermoon is a full moon or a new moon that approximately coincides with the closest distance that the Moon reaches to Earth in its elliptic orbit, resulting in a larger-than-usual apparent size of the lunar disk as seen from Earth.The technical name is the perigee syzygy of the Earth–Moon–Sun system.The term supermoon is not astronomical, but originated in modern astrology.

The opposite phenomenon, an apogee syzygy, has been called a micromoon, though this term is not as widespread as supermoon.

Moon's Orbit 

 The most recent supermoon occurrence was on December 3, 2017, and the next one will be on January 2, 2018. The one on November 14, 2016 was the closest supermoon since January 26, 1948, and will not be surpassed until November 25, 2034. The closest supermoon of the century will occur on December 6, 2052.

It’s hard for our eyes to distinguish these small changes in size when the Moon is high amidst the vastness of the night sky. But any time you catch a full Moon as it rises or sets, while it’s suspended low on the horizon beaming through the silhouettes of trees or buildings, its apparent size might make you do a double-take. You almost feel as though you could reach out, grab the glowing orb, and drop it into your coffee cup. Even more so if it’s a supermoon.

If you can only catch one episode of the supermoon trilogy, catch the third one. It will be extra special.

First of all, the January 31^st supermoon will feature a total lunar eclipse, with totality viewable from western North America across the pacific to Eastern Asia. The Moon’s orbit around our planet is tilted so it usually falls above or below the shadow of the Earth. About twice each year, a full Moon lines up perfectly with the Earth and Sun such that Earth’s shadow totally blocks the Sun’s light, which would normally reflect off the Moon.

 Supermoon in January 2018

The Wolf Moon on the night between January 1 and January 2, 2018 is a Supermoon. Since the Moon’s orbit is elliptical, one side (apogee) is about 30,000 miles (50,000 km) farther from Earth than the other (perigee).  Nearby perigee full Moons appear about 14% bigger and 30% brighter than full Moons that occur near apogee in the Moon's orbit.

Terminology

The name supermoon was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979, arbitrarily defined as:

... a new or full moon which occurs with the Moon at or near (within 90% of) its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit (perigee). In short, Earth, Moon and Sun are all in a line, with Moon in its nearest approach to Earth.

Nolle also claimed that the moon causes "geophysical stress" during the time of a supermoon. Nolle never outlined why he chose 90%.

The term perigee-syzygy or perigee full/new moon is preferred in the scientific community. Perigee is the point at which the Moon is closest in its orbit to the Earth, and syzygy is when the Earth, the Moon and the Sun are aligned, which happens at every full or new moon. Hence, a supermoon can be regarded as a combination of the two, although they do not perfectly coincide each time.

How To Click Supermoon

Supermoon

Bill Ingalls, NASA's senior photographer, sharing the tips to capture the moon, said, "Don't make the mistake of photographing the moon by itself with no reference to anything." He recommends personalizing the experience by using people in the shot. "There are lots of great photos of people appearing to be holding the moon in their hand and that kind of thing. You can get really creative with it," he said.

To get the right light balance of the moon on newer iPhones and other smartphones, he advises, "Tap the screen and hold your finger on the object (in this case, the moon) to lock the focus. Then slide your finger up or down to darken or lighten the exposure."

For digital SLR photography, he advises, "Keep in mind that the moon is a moving object. It's a balancing act between trying to get the right exposure and realizing that the shutter speed typically needs to be a lot faster."

Best Time To Enjoy Supermoon

 The best time to enjoy a supermoon is after moonrise when the moon is just above the horizon. At this position, a supermoon will look bigger and brighter.

Clicked From:- Canon 80D

Source:- Nasa,Wiki,Books
Video and Images Editor:- Mr.Aman Kashyap
Text Editor:- Sara,
Special Thanks To:- Mr. Bhharat Sarkar, Members of Nasa, Geek Members 

Read More