[Neuromancer]

ABC News:

Saturday night, if the full moon, rising in the East, strikes you as unusually large, you'll be right. It will loom larger than usual. Though it's hardly a scientific term, it will be what's known as a "supermoon." If the weather is clear where you are, it should be a sight to see. It happens because -- despite what our senses tell us -- the moon does not orbit us in a perfect circle. It follows a slightly elliptical path every month. On Saturday night at 11:35 p.m. EDT, say astronomers, it will come within 221,802 miles of us -- coincidentally about one minute before it's at its fullest. The result: When the moon is closest to Earth, it appears 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than when it's farthest from us. Two weeks from now, on the opposite side of its orbit, it will be about 252,000 miles away.

But is there really anything "super" about it, beyond the spectacle? Astronomers say emphatically not. It may increase high tides in places by a few inches, but that's about it.

I will be peeking my head out around this time to observe the heavens and gently urge you to do so as well.

[Net_Wrecker]

Meh, I'll wait for The Batmoon.

[JumpingTheGun]

I'm meeting up with a schoolteacher on the beach to see this moon. Should be awesome.

[Crewnh]

Meh, I'll wait for The Batmoon.

Super moon can kick bat moon's ass.

[Dishwalla]

It's rainy and overcast over Hampton Roads tonight, dammit. Don't think we'll be able to see it.

[TDK Rises]

That's no moon

[Net_Wrecker]

Super moon can kick bat moon's ass.

Not if The Batmoon has a lunar cycle to prepare.

[shira]

Not if The Batmoon has a lunar cycle to prepare.

It is known

[meppi]

It is known.

[grap3fruitman]

[Escape Goat]

[criesofthepast]

Perfect clear skies over toronto. Moon looks so pretty.

[Jim E. Rossler]

ABC News: I will be peeking my head out around this time to observe the heavens and gently urge you to do so as well.

"It happens because -- despite what our senses tell us -- the moon does not orbit us in a perfect circle"
How ELSE can the moon appear closer without, I dunno, GETTING CLOSER?
Who looks at the moon and decides it's in a perfect 0 eccentricity orbit?

[MIMIC]

Wow. I never knew that the Earth wasn't at the center of the moon's orbit path.

Also, if this picture is accurate, wouldn't the moon be closer to Earth near the "bottom" of the orbit (somewhere around the word "occurs" in "Full moon Saturday occurs at 8:35 p.m.)?

[Escape Goat]

Wow. I never knew that the Earth wasn't at the center of the moon's orbit path. Also, if this picture is accurate, wouldn't the moon be closer to Earth near the "bottom" of the orbit (somewhere around the word "occurs" in "Full moon Saturday occurs at 8:35 p.m.)?

I don't think any planetary body moves in a perfectly spherical orbit. Gravity is throwing and reeling it back in all the while the parent body is continuing its own orbit.

[mac]

Anyone have a good link of it happening live?

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

Anyone have a good link of it happening live?

lol got me.

[Alligatorjandro]

Beware werewolfs

[Death Dealer]

I don't think any planetary body moves in a perfectly spherical orbit.

Kepler figured out they move in ellipse shaped orbits.

[Poyunch]

I'm recording the moon for my Astronomy class. I guess this is something to look forward to.

[thcsquad]

Wow. I never knew that the Earth wasn't at the center of the moon's orbit path. Also, if this picture is accurate, wouldn't the moon be closer to Earth near the "bottom" of the orbit (somewhere around the word "occurs" in "Full moon Saturday occurs at 8:35 p.m.)?

The moon's orbit is fairly eccentric. Earth's orbit around the sun is much more circular, but as somebody mentioned all orbits are elliptical.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_eccentricity

[Neuromancer]

Very cloudy here in Baltimore, I can't see a thing. Oh well.

[Kurashima]

As during all other cool astronomical events, it's completely cloudy where I am. . .

[Ace Harding]

For anyone interested in learning more about orbiting, I highly suggest playing Kerbal Space Program. Actually thrusting your craft into an orbit and using thrust to control and manipulate your orbit really helps to make the physics behind it all much easier to understand.

http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/

Also building rockets is totally sweet.

Can't see a moon here in Philadelphia (at least not from my south-facing balcony).

[SMT]

I missed the previous one, so this should be entertaining.

[tuna on toast]

Link contains spoilers!!!!

http://i.imgur.com/0mk7b.jpg

[WhatRobEats]

Damn its a little overcast here north of cincy. Can still see it but its kinda hazy. Was hoping to bust out the telescope but I doubt I could get a good view through the cloud cover.

[Weenerz]

Can't see the moon at all in Norfolk VA, wtf I want a refund.

[To Far Away Times]

Yeah, the moon looks bad ass right now in orange county.

[Dishwalla]

Can't see the moon at all in Norfolk VA, wtf I want a refund.

Yeah. It rains a lot here, something I've noticed in my three and a half year stay here.

[PhoenixPause]

[MIMIC]

It's extremely bright; I was hoping it would be frighteningly bigger like it was last year (when I missed it) :(

[Herpes Reasons]

the moon is fucking huge. o_0
end of days motherfuckers.

[B.K.]

It doesn't look so super to me.

[ZAK]

Oh, I thought it looked cool tonight. Apparently it was "super."

[Dishwalla]

I'm super, thanks for asking, all things considered I couldn't be better I must say...

[Claude]

I gladly welcome our new Supermoon overlord.

[Ghost_Protocol]

Moon's pretty big, but not massive. It's noticeably larger than normal

[Community Forum]

9:18 pm, from my balcony

[Zoe]

It was pretty cloudy here when it was at its biggest :(

I'll post a picture later, but unfortunately the spot I was in didn't have a good reference to show the size.

[GoingGreen]

9:18 pm, from my balcony

IT'S SO HUGEEEEEEEE

[Alligatorjandro]

It was really bright.

[Neuromancer]

Great movie. Did you know they released it on VHS too?

Anyway it's still too cloudy here.

[Yagharek]

Wow. I never knew that the Earth wasn't at the center of the moon's orbit path. Also, if this picture is accurate, wouldn't the moon be closer to Earth near the "bottom" of the orbit (somewhere around the word "occurs" in "Full moon Saturday occurs at 8:35 p.m.)?

It's an inaccurate diagram.

This one is better:



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apsis

[Poyunch]

It was pretty huge at 8:00 PM when it was closer to the horizon here in Los Angeles. Now it's pretty small.

[linko9]

Expected this to be the first reply, I am disappoint.

I can't see the moon from my window, maybe I'll step outside a bit later to check it out.

[Marty Chinn]

[Dishwalla]

Oh wait, that's the wrong image of the moon...

[Teknoman]

Damn it, its just really bright where I am :(

Of course I guess it was just a horizon mirage.

Link contains spoilers!!!! http://i.imgur.com/0mk7b.jpg

Its melting...RUN!

[JasonMCG]

It's raining here. Too overcast to appreciate the big moon. :(