The so-called “supermoon” occurs when the full moon is at its closest to Earth. The phenomenon occurred early Saturday morning across the globe and will continue to be visible Saturday night in some areas. Here are some of the most spectacular photos of the supermoon, which can appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than a typical full moon, to appear on social media so far this weekend.
The #supermoon from #Whistler early this morning #moonset @GoWhistler pic.twitter.com/RceUpgBhMe
— David McColm (@triwhistler) July 12, 2014
Simply Super.
The supermoon captured over Mount Rainier. Credit: Tommy McPharlin pic.twitter.com/hWrK6JkqyJ #supermoon
— ajproc ™ (@ajproc) July 12, 2014
Tonight's moon from North Vancouver. #supermoon #yvr pic.twitter.com/WhC5ZGv8Tp
— John Lehmann (@JohnLehmann) July 12, 2014
#Supermoon rising over San Jose City Hall in #California. By Wilson Lam July 11. https://t.co/psFmx6zShl pic.twitter.com/uUY4AIGo4d
— Epic Cosmos (@EpicCosmos) July 12, 2014
#SuperMoon over the BQE in Brooklyn, New York. By JP Extrabox Photostream July 11. https://t.co/BUMWyqfzp9 pic.twitter.com/iSj6TUBHNj
— Epic Cosmos (@EpicCosmos) July 12, 2014
One last #supermoon shot from me, taken at 6:30am from @MelbourneFL as the #moon hides behind a cloud. pic.twitter.com/MsQCzd2Yt1
— Mike Seeley (@Mike_Seeley) July 12, 2014
Amazing #supermoon photo taken by Steve Beverly in Baileysville, WV! Wow! pic.twitter.com/FFdpWqziWi
— Kristin Ketchell (@KristinKetchell) July 12, 2014
NBC4 viewer @4perf35 sent this incredible #supermoon photo from Santa Clarita. More pics: http://t.co/f2aZOcqa44 pic.twitter.com/mcGHkpRIqE
— NBC Los Angeles (@NBCLA) July 12, 2014
Last year, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson threw some cold water on the supermoon craze. “There is something called a super moon,” Tyson said on his podcast. “I don’t know who first called it a super moon. I don’t know, but if you have a 16 inch pizza, would you call that a super pizza compared with a 15 inch pizza?”
“The Moon’s orbit around the Earth is not a perfect circle,” Tyson explained. “Sometimes it’s closer, sometimes it’s farther away. Every month, there is a moment when it is closest. Occasionally, that moment when it is closest coincidences with a full moon. People are calling that a super moon, but there’s super half moons. Every month one of those phases is the closest. I don’t hear people saying like ‘super crescent, super half moon.”
Two more supermoons are scheduled to occur this summer on August 10 and September 9.
Watch video explaining what’s so special about supermoons below, via NASA:
We will add live stream video for tonight’s supermoon when it becomes available.
[Photo via screengrab]
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