Prepare for the first Supermoon of 2024: Skywatchers to witness stunning lunar event on August 19th
The upcoming supermoon on August 19 at 2:26 PM ET will be the first of the year, when the Moon appears larger and brighter due to its close proximity to Earth during its orbit known as perigee. In India, the supermoon will be visible at 11:56 PM IST.
There will be Supermoons in 2024
Fred Espanak, a former NASA astrophysicist and eclipse expert, has identified four supermoons that are scheduled to occur in 2024. These supermoons will appear in August, September, October, and November. Espanak defines a supermoon as a full moon that occurs within 90 percent of the Moon’s closest approach to Earth. The closest supermoon of 2024 is expected on October 17 at 7:26 AM ET or 4:56 PM IST. Typically, three to four supermoons are observed each year. Although the term “supermoon” has been around for about four decades, it gained significant public attention in 2016 when three consecutive supermoons were visible.
The science behind supermoons
The moon orbits the earth in an elliptical path with an average distance of about 382,900 km. Due to the gravitational effects of the Earth, Sun and other planets, the apogee and perigee distances of the Moon vary from month to month. According to NASA’s Noah Petro, these gravitational forces cause the Moon’s orbit to be irregular. A supermoon occurs when the Moon reaches its closest point in its 27-day orbit and is completely illuminated by the Sun, which happens approximately every 29.5 days. This alignment is relatively rare and only happens a few times a year because the direction of the Moon’s orbit changes as the Earth orbits the Sun.
During a supermoon, the moon appears about 30 percent brighter and 14 percent larger than normal. However, experts point out that the difference is often difficult to see with the naked eye.
Supermoons are a fascinating astronomical event that offers a unique opportunity to observe the size and brightness of the Moon. The upcoming supermoons in 2024 will offer skygazers several opportunities to witness this phenomenon. Although the visual differences can be subtle, the science behind supermoons continues to fascinate experts and the general public alike.
