It is not a particularly rare phenomenon, says Peter Lindedocent in astronomy and chairman of the Swedish Astronomical Society. At the same time, Linde emphasizes that “supermoon” is not strictly astronomically defined.
— I can confirm that it is a full moon and that it is called a supermoon under certain circumstances. What it is about is that the moon, while fully illuminated, is also close in its orbit around the earth. The moon’s orbit is not completely circular, but oval, he says.
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The supermoon looks out from behind the Malmö lighthouse at Krankajen in Dockan in the harbor of Malmö on August 19, 2024. Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT
Then the phenomenon occurs
A full moon occurs at any time in the moon’s orbit, but when it is closest to Earth it is called a supermoon.
— This means that it looks a little bigger. Very little, I must say. About seven percent larger and shining perhaps 13-14 percent brighter than a normal full moon. There are no sensational changes right away.
Now the moon is at a distance of about 356,000 kilometers from the earth, while its average distance is 384,000 kilometers.
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Seasons affect the supermoon
According to Linde, the experience of the moon’s size also depends on the season. When the first supermoon of the year occurred in August, the moon was very low above the horizon – giving the effect of making the moon look even bigger.
— You don’t notice that tonight because it’s so high up in the sky.
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