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Earth set for full moon close-up
BBC News ^ | 12/12/08 | BBC

Posted on 12/12/2008 12:38:59 PM PST by NormsRevenge

A full moon is set to occur closer to the Earth on Friday evening than it has done for the past 15 years.

The Moon's elliptical orbit means its distance from the Earth is not constant.

It will be a little over 350,000km away as it passes over the northern hemisphere, which is about 30,000km closer than usual.

If the sky is clear it will appear brighter and larger than usual, say astronomers.

Closest path

Friday's full moon could appear up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than other full moons this year, Nasa said.

The Moon's orbit is elliptical, meaning it does not follow a circular but rather an oval path.

It is currently approaching the point where this oval orbit is nearest to the Earth.

"It's only every few years that a full moon happens to coincide with the part of the Moon's orbit when its closest to the Earth," said Marek Kukula, an astronomer at the UK's Royal Observatory.

"What people will see is a full moon that's really bright and a bit bigger than what they're used to."

It will appear largest as it rises and sets, but this is a psychological illusion, Dr Kukula said.

"When it's close to the horizon, our brain interprets it as being bigger than it actually is, this is called the moon illusion," he said.

"The size may be striking when it's near the horizon," said Robert Massey of the UK Royal Astronomical Society.

However, he cautioned against expecting too much.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Chit/Chat; Outdoors; Science
KEYWORDS: closeup; earth; fullmoon
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1 posted on 12/12/2008 12:38:59 PM PST by NormsRevenge
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To: NormsRevenge

I have my digital camera at the ready...


2 posted on 12/12/2008 12:42:13 PM PST by Army Air Corps (Four fried chickens and a coke)
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Explore Moon Mountains from Your Backyard
http://www.space.com/spacewatch/081205-ns-moon-watching.html

15 years since we’ve been this close with a full moon, cool.. hope it doesn’t cloud up until late .. binocs and small telescopes are in order.


3 posted on 12/12/2008 12:43:42 PM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Godspeed)
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To: NormsRevenge

Will we be able to see Cindy Sheehan without binoculars?


4 posted on 12/12/2008 12:45:12 PM PST by N. Theknow (Kennedys: Can't fly, can't ski, can't drive, can't skipper a boat. But they know what's best.)
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To: N. Theknow

There may be some fireworks, not sure about Cindy tho. ;-)

Where can I see the full moon and meteor shower?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article5332018.ece

a snip

What time is it best to watch?

The moon will be closest to the earth and highest in the sky at 9.48pm tonight. The meteor shower - where what look like shooting stars fly across the sky - will be best after midnight but you will see some before then.


5 posted on 12/12/2008 12:48:14 PM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Godspeed)
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To: NormsRevenge

I thought it appeared larger than usual this morning when I saw it on my way to work. Now I know why.


6 posted on 12/12/2008 12:49:22 PM PST by Non-Sequitur
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To: NormsRevenge; Strategerist; lainie; bd476

and that wacky Jim Berkland has opened his “earthuake window” for California because off the moon....


7 posted on 12/12/2008 12:49:51 PM PST by BurbankKarl
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To: NormsRevenge

It was very bright last night. I was on the road before daylight (about 4am) and I believe I could have driven without headlights. The sky was exceptionally clear, a cold front having just passed.


8 posted on 12/12/2008 12:52:43 PM PST by abb ("What ISN'T in the news is often more important than what IS." Ed Biersmith, 1942 -)
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To: NormsRevenge
"Please, everyone be careful. This is significant data that indicates bridge jumpers, suicides, hostage situations, domestic violence, mall shootings, and workplace violence do increase during these times of spring tides, full moons, and the close approach of the moon to the earth. Tidal forces are strong during the next week. Humans are animals, and all animals are influenced by the tides."

Curses! It Is Almost December 12th!, CopyCat Effect Blog

9 posted on 12/12/2008 12:52:58 PM PST by theFIRMbss
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To: NormsRevenge

We saw it this morning before sunup. Very bright and yellow.


10 posted on 12/12/2008 12:54:08 PM PST by Tax-chick (If I can't go to Heaven right now, can I just go to Missouri?)
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To: BurbankKarl

I caught the window part the other night, I think, we had a couple little ones a few days ago.. and hey, lunar tide shifting and all, and being what it is, the earth is a pliable object in an occasionally dynamic environment.. ya never know.


11 posted on 12/12/2008 12:59:16 PM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Godspeed)
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To: NormsRevenge
moon illusion

Photobucket

12 posted on 12/12/2008 1:02:23 PM PST by dragonblustar (Once abolish the God, and the government becomes the God - G. K. Chesterton)
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To: NormsRevenge

I saw it last night and thought of Larry Niven’s story “Inconstant Moon”.


13 posted on 12/12/2008 1:03:45 PM PST by Spirochete
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To: dragonblustar

That’s only a quarter-moon.


14 posted on 12/12/2008 1:04:08 PM PST by Palladin (When will Bill Ayers start bombing buildings again?)
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To: NormsRevenge

Payday, Friday night, and a full moon.

I shudder to think of what will happen tonight....


15 posted on 12/12/2008 1:07:47 PM PST by Old Sarge (For the first time in my life, I am ashamed to be an American)
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To: NormsRevenge
I was up at 2:15CST in Arlan TX. It was time for my P** break. My dogs also wanted to go outside. I let them out into the backyard and was amazed at the lunar light while illuminated the countryside. I went out and went back in before I became a lunatic!!!

Lunar hypothesis In a 1999 Journal of Affective Disorders article, a hypothesis was suggested indicating that the phase of the moon may in the past have had an effect on bipolar patients by providing light during nights which would otherwise have been dark, and affecting susceptible patients through the well-known route of sleep deprivation.[citation needed] With the introduction of electric light, this effect would have gone away, as light would be available every night, explaining the negative results of modern studies. They suggest ways in which this hypothesis might be tested.

16 posted on 12/12/2008 1:46:01 PM PST by Young Werther (Julius Caesar (Quae Cum Ita Sunt. Since these things are so.))
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To: NormsRevenge
Thank you for the heads-up Norm ... I'll be there.


17 posted on 12/12/2008 2:06:36 PM PST by Daffynition ("Beauty is in the sty of the beholder." ~ Joe 6-pack)
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To: NormsRevenge

Stay close to home, crime will rise. Especially violent crime.


18 posted on 12/12/2008 2:20:58 PM PST by papasmurf (Impeach the illegal bastard!)
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To: theFIRMbss

I enjoy reading the post, then replying without reading other replies. Then, I like to read the other posts and see how many I had an answer or response in common with.

We matched. LOL


19 posted on 12/12/2008 2:22:55 PM PST by papasmurf (Impeach the illegal bastard!)
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To: NormsRevenge; GMMAC; Clive; exg; kanawa; backhoe; -YYZ-; Former Proud Canadian; Squawk 8888; ...
It's stunning here.

Thanks for posting.


20 posted on 12/12/2008 2:25:19 PM PST by fanfan (Update on Constitutional Crisis in Canada.....Click user name)
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