Supermoon

If you were watching the evening sky Saturday, you caught a glimpse of what astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979 dubbed the “Supermoon.” In slightly more scientific terms, this celestial event occurs when the moon arrives at perigee, bringing it closest to Earth at a distance of 221,824 miles. Officially, the happened at 7 a.m. EDT on Sunday, June 23. According to NASA, a full moon at perigee is up to 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than one at its farthest point (about 252,000 miles away)or apogee. The full moon occurring less than one hour away from perigee is a near-perfect coincidence that happens only every 18 years or so.

Photo by Robert G. Breese