The science behind a supermoon
WHY IT HAPPENS
• The Moon’s orbit around the Earth is elliptical. This ellipse
changes its position slowly over time.
• When the Moon, Earth and Sun are aligned, it is termed syzygy.
• A full moon refers to a lunar phase where the hemisphere of
the moon that is facing the Earth (the near side) is almost fully
illuminated by the Sun
• A supermoon is when a full moon is nearest the Earth.
The scientific term for this is “perigee moon.”
NOTE:
Illustration
not to scale
SUN
EARTH
Apogee moon
(point of moon orbit
farthest from Earth)
Perigee moon
in syzygy position
(aligned Earth with the Sun)
HOW THEY COMPARE
Apogee
moon
Perigee
moon
WHAT IS UNIQUE
ABOUT THE NOV 14
SUPERMOON?
• Perigee and syzygy will
happen within two hours
of each other.
• The Moon will be at its
closest point to Earth in
70 years.
• The last time the Moon
was this close was on
Jan 26, 1948. The next
time this happens again
will be on Nov 25, 2034.
Appears
13% bigger,
30% brighter
SUPERMOON OCCURRENCES IN 2016
Oct
16
Nov
14
Dec
14
Sources: SCIENCE CENTRE SINGAPORE, NASA, EARTHSKY.ORG
PHOTOS: ST FILE, REUTERS STRAITS TIMES GRAPHICS