You are viewing this article in the AnnArbor.com archives. For the latest breaking news and updates in Ann Arbor and the surrounding area, see MLive.com/ann-arbor
Posted on Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 2:26 p.m.

4 facts about Saturday's 'supermoon'

By Juliana Keeping

full-moon.jpg

Photo by Flickr user I am marlon

Look up Saturday to view the "supermoon" — the largest full moon in almost 20 years.

The skies will be clear to partly cloudy all day in Ann Arbor for the rare supermoon, but just after sunset at 7:45 p.m., conditions should be pretty good for a nice bright moon, said Dennis Kahlbaum, weather observer for the University of Michigan.

Here are 4 top ‘supermoon’ facts from the web.

1. National Geographic quips the moon may not look faster than a speeding bullet, but it will be the closest to earth in 18 years this Saturday.

2. Slate reminds readers to “howl accordingly” at the rare phenomenon, best viewed in the east just as it rises.

3. Boston.com delivers its supermoon news sans puns, and reminds readers the moon might seem close, but is actually 365,577 kilometers away.

4. The moon will look 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter because it’s a “perigee” moon, Dallas Morning News reports. That means the moon happens to be full while at the same time as close to earth as it can get on its oval-shaped orbit.

Juliana Keeping is a health and environment reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at julianakeeping@annarbor.com or 734-623-2528. Follow Juliana Keeping on Twitter

Comments

Mitch Ganian

Mon, Mar 21, 2011 : 1:55 p.m.

I'm old enough to remember when news agencies interviewed experts, and employed photographers.

Wolf's Bane

Mon, Mar 21, 2011 : 1:44 p.m.

The closer the moon, the higher water levels will rise (temporarily).

SillyTree

Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 11:32 p.m.

@DDOT My comment has been edited because I corrected a misspelling in the story. The misspelling was in #4. Now, #4 is correct. I may have been partially redundant, but I added information. I did not have a problem with #4 other than the misspelling. My problem was and is with the notion that the moon is appreciably closer than it has been in 18 years. The moon reaches perigee approximately every 27.554550 days. Perigee is perigee for the most part. There are some changes in the eccentricity of the orbit over time, but these are minor. Ask Norb was a defference to Norb Vance at EMU. I am not an expert; I just know more than most lay people. Norb is an expert. You asked me. I told you to ask Norb.

mkestly

Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 3:13 p.m.

Looking forward to tonight's moon over Michigan... I did see it last night and thought it looked unusally large and bright.

treetowntenor

Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 2:08 p.m.

That's "perigee", not "perigree". The Dallas Morning News article got it right, AA.com did not.

Juliana Keeping

Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 2:11 p.m.

Typo has been fixed, thanks.

Bob Bethune

Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 1:27 p.m.

It will be a nice full moon. It will look very much like any other nice full moon. The apparent size of the moon will seem larger while it is close to the horizon, just like every other full moon at moonrise. Go enjoy it, but remember that this is essentially a non-story. You'll see a nice moon, pretty much like every other nice moon you've seen, not some shockingly enormous astonishment of a moonrise.

Angela

Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 1 a.m.

I am so glad that someone posted a story on this. I was going to do the same on the community wall but lack the eloquence to put a story together nicely. I am looking forward to seeing this beautiful sight!

SillyTree

Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 12:36 a.m.

#4 is most correct. The moon will be no closer than it gets each orbit. It will be closer than normal while full. The orbital period of the moon is not the same length as that of its phases. The moon gets close to the Earth on each orbit; it gets just as close as on any other orbit. The orbital period is shorter than the period of the phases so the moon isn't always (more often it is not) at its closest point to the Earth when it is full. Facts should be true. Write what you know and leave what you don't to others. Don't use the Internet as a source. Ask Norb.

DDOT1962

Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 1:04 p.m.

Yes, you wrote a redundant explanation to #4 fact in the article. How is yours more "true" than the article's?

treetowncartel

Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 9:25 p.m.

I wonder if the old lady will be whispering hush?

April Young

Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 8:21 p.m.

Item #2--The "sun sets in the east"?? I think we have bigger issues than the size of the moon if the sun's now setting in the east!

Tony Dearing

Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 8:35 p.m.

April, the wording of that sentence has been revised and clarified.

Turd Ferguson

Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:51 p.m.

Did somebody say full moon? Please keep your pants up guys.

dading dont delete me bro

Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:50 p.m.

mmmmm....cheese.... after all, isn't the moon made of cheese?

DBH

Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:32 p.m.

Anyone who finds this story interesting is a lunatic!

Edward R Murrow's Ghost

Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 10:13 p.m.

. . . but apparently not so uninteresting to ignore or to not comment on. Good Night and Good Luck

BillieR

Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 1:11 a.m.

I must be crazy, then.

Angela

Sat, Mar 19, 2011 : 1:03 a.m.

Your comment is pure lunacy! =D

John B.

Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 9:04 p.m.

Luna-tics unite!

SillyTree

Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 8:19 p.m.

Nice.

zeeba

Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 7:11 p.m.

14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than what? Than a full moon at apogee, at its most distant? Or compared to an average full moon?

Top Cat

Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 6:46 p.m.

Reminds me of one of the best Doo Wops ever, &quot;There's a Moon Out Tonight&quot; by The Capris. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4xNF9uh8SA" rel='nofollow'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4xNF9uh8SA</a>

Cash

Fri, Mar 18, 2011 : 6:50 p.m.

What about Blue Moon by the Marcels?......Blue Moon, you saw me standing alone, Without a dream in my heart, Without a love of my own, Oh fine, now this stuff is in my head all day! LOL