2013 supermoon dazzles night sky for spectators
This weekend, lunar fans enjoyed the sights of a “supermoon” when it passed by the earth at its closest point for 2013. Here’s a look at this year’s “supermoon” and those from years past.
- In this handout photo provided by Disney Parks, the “supermoon” is seen with the Epcot center geodesic sphere in the foreground at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (David Roark/Disney Parks)
- The Super Moon rises over Santa Monica on June 23, 2013 in Santa Monica, California. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
- This photo provided by NASA shows a supermoon rises behind the Washington Monument in Washington. (Bill Ingalls/NASA)
- The full moon rises behind the US Library of Congress in Washington. This year the supermoon is up to 13.5 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than a typical full moon is, according to NASA scientists. (Nicholas Kamm/Gettey images)
- The full moon rises behind the US Capitol in Washington. (Kamm/Getty images)
- A supermoon rises over the temple of Poseidon, the ancient Greek god of the seas, in Cape Sounion some 60 km (37 miles) east of Athens.(Yannis Behrakis/Reuters photo)
- A “supermoon” rises over Table Rock and lighted cross in Boise, Idaho on Saturday, June 22, 2013. (Kyle Green/Idaho Statesman)
- The moon is seen in an abnormally red colour as it rises in the Toronto Beaches. (Mark Blinch/Reuters photo)
- A “supermoon” rises near the Four Towers business district in Madrid, Spain. (Paul Hanna/Reuters photo)
- A full moon also referred to as a “supermoon” rises over the San Juan bonfire on the beach of Playa de Poniente in Gijon . Fires formed by burning unwanted furniture, old school books, wood and effigies of malign spirits are seen across Spain as people celebrate the night of San Juan, a purification ceremony coinciding with the summer solstice. (Eloy Alonso/Reuters photo)
- A full moon also referred to as a “supermoon” rises in the sky behind New York’s Lower Manhattan and One World Trade Center as a plane passes through it as seen from the Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange, New Jersey. (Gary Hershorn/Reuters photo)
- A silhouetted airplane flies past a ‘supermoon’ over New York. (Zoran Milich/Reuters photo)
- A picture shows the moon over a traffic light in downtown Rome. (Filippo Monteforte/Getty images)
- A picture taken on June 23, 2013 shows a full moon over Mexico city. This year the supermoon is up to 13.5 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than a typical full moon is, according to NASA scientists. (Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP/Getty Images)
- A woman watches the “supermoon” as it rises in the sky from the Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange, New Jersey, June 22, 2013. (Gary Hershorn/Reuters)
- Two people watch the full moon also referred to as a “supermoon” rise in the sky from the Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange, New Jersey, June 22, 2013. (Gary Hershorn/Reuters)
- A picture taken on June 23, 2013 shows a full moon over San Salvador, El Salvador. This year the supermoon is up to 13.5 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than a typical full moon is, according to NASA scientists. (Jose Cabezas/AFP/Getty Images)
- People ride the Luna Park Swing Ride as the “supermoon” rises on Coney Island, June 22, 2013. The largest full moon of the year called the “supermoon” will light up the night sky this weekend. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters)
- The largest full moon of 2013, also referred to as a “supermoon,” rises at the Iwo Jima memorial in Arlington, Virginia, near Washington, June 22, 2013. (Jason Reed/Reuters)
- People ride the Luna Park Swing Ride as the “supermoon” rises on Coney Island, June 22, 2013. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters)
- People watch the full moon also referred to as a “supermoon” rise in the sky from the Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange, New Jersey, June 22, 2013. (Gary Hershorn/Reuters)
- The largest full moon of 2013, also referred to as a “supermoon,” rises over the Iwo Jima memorial in Arlington, Virginia, near Washington, June 22, 2013. (Jason Reed/Reuters)
- The “supermoon” is pictured behind the cross of a church in Vienna June 23, 2013. (Heinz-Peter Bader/Reuters)
- A woman photographs the moon as it rises over the skyline of New York from a lookout in Weekhawken, New Jersey, June 21, 2013. On Saturday a perigee moon will coincide with a full moon creating a “supermoon” when it will pass by the earth at its closest point in 2013. (Gary Hershorn/Reuters)
- People watch the moon rise over the skyline of New York from a lookout in Weekhawken, New Jersey, June 21, 2013. On Saturday a perigee moon will coincide with a full moon creating a “supermoon” when it will pass by the earth at its closest point in 2013. (Gary Hershorn/Reuters)
- Fans watch the Egyptian Super Cup soccer match between Al-Ahly and Haras El Hodood during a full moon at Cairo Stadium July 25, 2010. (Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters)
- The full “supermoon”, scientifically known as a “perigee moon”, rises over Los Angeles, California May 5, 2012. (Patrick T. Fallon/Reuters)
- The full “supermoon,” scientifically known as a “perigee moon,” is pictured over the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro May 6, 2012. (Ricardo Moraes/Reuters)
- The full moon rises behind a mosque as birds fly in Amman May 5, 2012. Saturday will see the rise of a full moon called the “supermoon” when it arrives at its closest point to the Earth in 2012. (Ali Jarekji/Reuters)
- Wrangler Nate Cummins takes the opportunity to ride by moonlight, the night before the “supermoon” during Montana Horses’ annual horse drive outside Three Forks, Montana, May 4, 2012. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)
- A runner makes his way along a trail on a butte in front of the “supermoon” at Papago Park in Phoenix, Arizona May 5, 2012. (Darryl Webb/Reuters)
- The full moon rises behind the U.S. Capitol Dome in Washington March 19, 2011. Saturday saw the rise of a full moon called a “supermoon” when it arrived at its closest point to the Earth in 2011, a distance of 221,565 miles or 356,575 km away. (Hyungwon Kang/Reuters)
- The moon is seen behind street lamps in Lausanne March 19, 2011. Saturday will see the rise of a full moon called a “supermoon” when it arrives at its closest point to the Earth in 2011, a distance of 221,565 miles or 356,575 km away. (Denis Balibouse/Reuters)
- A full moon known as the supermoon is seen behind the minaret of Mohamed Ali mosque, in Islamic Cairo, May 5, 2012. (Asmaa Waguih/Reuters)
- The full moon rises behind a mosque as a kite flies in Amman May 5, 2012. Saturday will see the rise of a full moon called the “supermoon” when it arrives at its closest point to the Earth in 2012. (Ali Jarekji/Reuters)
- The moon is seen behind the top of the radio and television tower ‘Funkturm’ in Berlin March 19, 2011. Saturday will see the rise of a full moon called a “supermoon” when it arrives at its closest point to the Earth in 2011, a distance of 221,565 miles or 356,575 km away. (Fabrizio Bensch/Baltimore Sun)
- The moon rises over east London March 19, 2011. Saturday will see the rise of a full moon called a “supermoon” when it arrives at its closest point to the Earth in 2011, a distance of 221,565 miles or 356,575 kilometers away. (Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters)
- A view of the “supermoon” is seen from Veracruz May 5, 2012. (Martin Lara Reyna /Reuters)
- The moon is seen over La Paz city March 19, 2011. Saturday sees the rise of a full moon called a “supermoon” where it arrives at its closest point to the Earth in 2011, a distance of 221,565 miles or 356,575 km away. (David Mercado/Reuters)
- The moon rises over east London March 19, 2011. Saturday will see the rise of a full moon called a “supermoon” when it arrives at its closest point to the Earth in 2011, a distance of 221,565 miles or 356,575 kilometers away. (Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters)
‘Supermoon’ to brighten night sky Sunday
By Scott Dance, The Baltimore Sun
June 21, 2013
The Full Strawberry Moon arrives Sunday, and it will be a “supermoon” appearing larger than many other full moons.
A supermoon is a full moon that coincides with the moon’s perigee, or the point in its orbit at which it’s closest to Earth. While the nickname makes it sound extraordinary, supermoons actually occur every year.
They can appear more dramatic, however — 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than when the moon is at apogee, furthest from Earth, according to EarthSky.org.