Supermoon March 19, 2011

On Saturday, March 19, 2011, the moon will be at its closest point to Earth, making it appear larger and brighter in the sky.

By Joanie Ballard

Living in the country, the effects of a brilliant full moon can be really stunning. The big "Supermoon" has arrived in all it's glory and I am in awe.

According to NASA, on March 19, 2011, the moon will be the closest it has been to the Earth in 18 years, and it will also be at its fullest.

Last night, March 18, 2011, I took a few pictures of the this huge and glorious "Supermoon" near my home. I have posted one image of the evening moon (7:30pm) which was so clear and large it seemed as though it could touch the earth, and one image of the March 19th morning moon (6:00am) which was truly super-bright as it sat at the horizon.

I took this photo of the moon over my house the evening of March 18, 7:30pm

I took this photo of the full moon this morning, 6:00am, March 19, 2011.

According to CBC News, "Earth's closest celestial neighbour will appear to loom larger and brighter than usual on Saturday night, as astronomers anticipate a cosmic event called an "extreme supermoon". Scientists say the natural phenomenon — in which the moon reaches its closest point to this planet — will cause abnormally high and low tides worldwide. The occurrences, technically known as "lunar perigees," were previously visible in 1955, 1974, 1992, 1993 and 2005. But what makes this one particularly special is that it coincides with a full moon, which hasn't happened since 1993, according to Geoff Chester of the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C."

Top image:
cbc.ca/new/technology 
Other articles of interest:
Huffington Post
Universe Today
Yahoo News