A ‘Super’ Moon 14% larger and 30% brighter than any other Full Moon of 2012 will occur on Sunday 6 May 2012. The Moon will be larger than any other Moon of 2012 as May’s Full Moon occurs within 25 minutes of the Moon’s closest approach to the Earth for the year.
The reason for the increase in the apparent size of the Moon has to do with the Moon’s egg shaped or elliptical orbit. There is approximately a 50,000 kilometre difference between when the Moon is at its closest (perigee) and it’s furthest from the Earth (what is referred to as apogee). May’s Full Moon will occur at almost the same time as the closest approach of the Moon to the Earth for the year at a mere 356,955 kilometers.
For South East Queensland, high tides almost as high as the highest king tides for 2012 will also in the two days after May’s ‘Super’ Moon as the Earth’s oceans respond to the pull of the Moon’s gravity. The next ‘Super’ Moon will occur on 23 June 2013.
On a sad note, the Moon won’t be visible from Australia at the moment of Full Moon. It doesn’t rise as seen from Brisbane until just after 5pm AEST. When we see the Moon, it will be only 99.9% illuminated.
Hello,
I think you mean “occur on Sunday 6 May”[ (rather than March). Thanks for the articles.
cheers
Jane,
Thanks for pointing that out. Not quite sure why I put March in that sentence. Highlights a problem with not having anyone edit my posts.
Regards,
Paul Floyd.