The majestic celestial event known as the Super Full Moon or Supermoon occurs when a full moon nearly coincides with the moon’s perigee, the closest point the Moon arrives near the Earth in its elliptic rotation. This synchronistic dance between the Earth and Moon results in an apparently enlarged lunar disk when observed from our planet.
This perigee situates itself approximately 356,400 kilometers from our planet, Earth. This year, the celestial body drew impressively close, voyaging around 357,185 kilometers towards Earth on Wednesday night. This enthralling proximity allowed eager onlookers the opportunity to appreciate the noticeably grandiose moon, beginning from 8.15pm until the early hours of Thursday morning. This captivating spectacle was reported by the erudite minds at the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand, also known as Narit.
While the naked eye could grapple with the awe-inspiring sight of the Super Full Moon, the Institute helped facilitate an even more sublime viewing experience by setting up telescopes of varying sizes. These instruments provided amenable individuals the chance to immerse themselves in the lunar phenomenon more intimately.
Based on the estimates provided by Narit, the Super Full Moon featured on Wednesday night held the capacity to appear about 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter, compared to its appearance when it was positioned at its farthest from Earth in February of the current year.
This Super Full Moon on Wednesday held even more significance as it concurrently constituted a blue moon. This term signifies the occurrence of two full moons within a calendar month. Aptly referred to as the “Super Blue Moon,” this celestial marvel is rather rare, with an occurrence once every two to three years. The last Blue Moon appeared on October 31, 2020.
Those whose hearts were stolen by these wondrous lunar events can anticipate the next Super Full Moon on October 17, 2024. As for the next Blue Moon, mark your calendars for May 31, 2026.
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