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Super Moon: Lunar Perigee Set To Occur On Saturday Night | Strange News | Sky News
A so-called super moon is set to light up the sky overnight, bringing a lunar spectacle for amateur and professional astronomers alike.
Super moons happen when the satellite's closest approach to the Earth during its orbit - known as perigee - coincides with a full moon.
The "perigee moon", as it is known scientifically, is as much as 14% bigger and 30% brighter than other full moons this year, says Nasa Science.
During this week's perigee - the closest point of orbit - the moon will be 221,801 miles from Earth.
The close approach will happen within minutes of the official full moon phase at 4.35am BST.
:: Upload your photos here
The moon line up with the Earth and the sun makes it appear brilliantly full.
The super moon is a term coined in 1979 and will also cause high and low tides to be slightly more extreme than usual.
But astronomers say there is nothing to fear - super moons are about picturesque moments and are not a threat to the planet.
"While we know that during new and full moons the tides are greatest - and if it's in concert with a storm surge it might produce unusual flooding - there is no scientific evidence that earthquakes and other natural disasters are connected," Geza Gyuk, an astronomer at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, told National Geographic.
"Super moons have been happening for billions of years, and nothing particularly special occurs on these dates - except, of course, for a beautiful full moon."
:: Read the latest Sky News weather report
The last super moon occurred in March last year, and was about 250 miles closer than this year's event.
Sky News weather producer Chris England said most places in the UK will enjoy clear spells overnight - except southeast England and central Scotland, which will be cloudy.
A so-called super moon is set to light up the sky overnight, bringing a lunar spectacle for amateur and professional astronomers alike.
Super moons happen when the satellite's closest approach to the Earth during its orbit - known as perigee - coincides with a full moon.
The "perigee moon", as it is known scientifically, is as much as 14% bigger and 30% brighter than other full moons this year, says Nasa Science.
During this week's perigee - the closest point of orbit - the moon will be 221,801 miles from Earth.
The close approach will happen within minutes of the official full moon phase at 4.35am BST.
:: Upload your photos here
The moon line up with the Earth and the sun makes it appear brilliantly full.
The super moon is a term coined in 1979 and will also cause high and low tides to be slightly more extreme than usual.
But astronomers say there is nothing to fear - super moons are about picturesque moments and are not a threat to the planet.
"While we know that during new and full moons the tides are greatest - and if it's in concert with a storm surge it might produce unusual flooding - there is no scientific evidence that earthquakes and other natural disasters are connected," Geza Gyuk, an astronomer at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, told National Geographic.
"Super moons have been happening for billions of years, and nothing particularly special occurs on these dates - except, of course, for a beautiful full moon."
:: Read the latest Sky News weather report
The last super moon occurred in March last year, and was about 250 miles closer than this year's event.
Sky News weather producer Chris England said most places in the UK will enjoy clear spells overnight - except southeast England and central Scotland, which will be cloudy.
