A Really Big Full Moon Tonight
December 12th, 2008
The full moon tonight will be the biggest one of the year as Earth’s natural satellite reaches its closest point to our planet.
The moon makes a trip around Earth every 29.5 days. But the orbit is not a perfect circle.
The moon’s average distance from us is about 238,855 miles (384,400 km). Tonight it will be just 221,560 miles (356,567 km) away. It will be 14 percent bigger in our sky and 30 percent brighter than some other full moons during the year, according to NASA.
Tides will be higher tonight, too. Earth’s oceans are pulled by the gravity of the moon and the sun. So when the moon is closer, tides are pulled higher.
But I wasn’t aware it’s moving away from us . . .
The moon is moving away from Earth as you read this, by about 1.6 inches (4 centimeters) a year. Eventually it’ll be torn apart as an expanding sun pushes the moon back toward Earth for a wrenching close encounter.
Entry Filed under: Interesting
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