According
to NASA, a blue supermoon won’t happen again until January and March 2037. Blue
supermoons take place an average of 10 years apart, though the last one was
seen more recently, and the time between events can be as long as 20 years.
Looking up at the sky can be a real treat. Many of us live in light-polluted
cities and aren’t even aware of this. If you take the time to drive a bit out
of city bounds and look up, you’ll be treated to a panoramic vista of light and
color.
The
universe sometimes lets us witness it in all its glory to remind us how small
and weak we are. One of these phenomena was ester night’s blue supermoon, which
people got to witness all around the world. Let’s dive in and talk about it!
#1

Image
source: Twitter
#2

Image
source: Twitter
#3

Image
source: Twitter
It
may also be super because of its perceived influence. I mean, we’ve got a whole
bunch of superstitions related to the Moon, from it influencing people’s
dreams, odd behaviors, and even the growth of plants.
While
it may be why I get itchy and sprout hair on full moons, most beliefs
surrounding the Moon are woefully inaccurate.
For
example, the astrologer Richard Nolle, who started the idea of the supermoon,
firmly believes that many seismic events and bad weather can be blamed on the
Moon.
He
describes the “major geophysical stress window” as a period of 7 days, swiftly
being rebutted by astronomer Phil Plait, who says that pretty much anything
could happen in such an extended period.
#4

Image
source: Twitter
#5

Image
source: Twitter
#6

Image
source: Twitter
However,
Phil Plait has a further bone to pick with bad supermoon astronomy. To his
annoyance (and Richard’s fame), many earthquakes get written down as “caused by
the moon’s influence.”
Astronomer
Phil looks at these numbers and then looks at the facts.
The
United States Geological Survey records earthquakes, and there are about 1469
of them with a magnitude greater than five yearly. That’s about four daily, so
you could pick any random day when a > 5-magnitude earthquake is happening
and attribute it to the poor Moon.
I’m
more of the thought that we shouldn’t be blaming things on the Moon but
somewhat corrupt politicians. Something along the lines of “Mother Earth
demands a blood sacrifice,” but maybe that’s just me.
#7

Image
source: Twitter
#8

Image
source: Twitter
#9

Image
source: Twitter
Nolle
even gets blasted on the Wikipedia
page for being spectacularly incorrect, which is quite a feat. If
Wikipedia is roasting you, you should probably reconsider what the heck you’re
doing.
Although
we’ve discredited Nolle’s scientific findings, we must say that he has a knack
for names, dubbing another phenomenon in 2000 as the extreme supermoon.
That
one is probably when all the vampire-werewolf conventions happen.
Besides
Nolle, various definitions are used to decide whether a moon is super. Sky and
Telescope magazine says that it’s when it is 223,000 miles (358,884 km) away
from the Earth, rather than the usual 238,855 miles (384,400 km).
TimeandDate.com
suggests 223,694 miles (360,000 kilometers), but for us regular people, the
best way of determining it is probably “holy moly, that is a big moon.”
#10

Image
source: Twitter
#11

Image
source: Twitter
#12

Image
source: Twitter
“Regular”
supermoons happen about 3-4 times yearly out of the 12-13 possible new or full
moons.
If
you’re looking for a bombastic date to turn into a werewolf, December 6, 2052,
is the date to jot down in your calendar, as that’s the next full supermoon.
Although
a common phrase for something happening rarely is “once in a blue moon,” it
turns out you’ve been lied to – those moons are not blue. According to NASA
award winner Space Place, “A blue moon is special because it is the
‘extra’ Moon in a season with four full moons.”
#13

Image
source: Twitter
#14

Image
source: Twitter
#15

Image
source: Twitter
While
we’re on the topic of moons, there are also “Blood Moons,” which occur during
total lunar eclipses. When the Moon is eclipsed in this way, only light from
the edges of Earth’s atmosphere reaches it, and as our atmosphere scatters the
blue light, we witness an eerily red moon, hence the blood.
Don’t
forget about the Harvest Moon, too – the full, bright Moon that happens closest
to the start of Autumn. Their name comes from way before electricity, when
farmers harvest their crops late into the night, guided by the Moon’s glow.
#16

Image
source: Twitter
#17

Image
source: Twitter
#18

Image
source: Twitter
#19

Image
source: Twitter
#20

Image
source: Twitter
#21

Image
source: Twitter
#22

Image
source: Twitter
#23

Image
source: Twitter
#24

Image
source: Twitter
#25

Image
source: Twitter
#26

Image
source: Twitter
#27

Image
source: Twitter
#28

Image
source: Twitter
#29

Image
source: Twitter
#30

Image
source: Twitter
#31

Image
source: Twitter
#32

Image
source: Twitter
#33

Image
source: Twitter
Post a Comment