This weekend t
he moon will be 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter due to the moon’s elliptical orbit, The last time the full moon was so big and close to Earth was in March 1993.
Romantics, werewolves and other moon gazers are in for a treat this weekend as they witness the biggest full moon seen in nearly 20 years.
But experts are discounting predictions of earthquakes associated with the event.
The moon’s orbit is elliptical, and as it follows its path, one side of the ellipse, known as perigee, passes about 50,000 kilometers (31,000 miles) closer than the on the other side — apogee.
A perigee full moon appear around 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than an apogee full moon.
Geoffrey Wyatt from Sydney Observatory says this upcoming full moon, which NASA’s website says will be of “rare size and beauty,” will rise at about 08:00 pm (AEDT) on Saturday. But it becomes full on Sunday morning at 05:10 am (AEDT), one hour before lunar perigee.
“So, Sunday morning, those people who are up early or getting home super late, look to the west and you’ll see the biggest moon for 18 years,” says Wyatt.
The last time the full moon was so big and close to Earth was in March 1993.
