It’s a bird, a plane, a SUPER MOON!
November 14, 2016 6:37 AM   Subscribe

 
This is uninvited crowding of my personal outer space bubble.
posted by srboisvert at 7:03 AM on November 14, 2016 [5 favorites]


In case anyone was curious, here's my calculations for how big the difference is:

Moon at apogee*: Diameter of 29.4 arcmin, Area of 678.866 arcmin^2
Moon at perigee*: Diameter of 33.5 arcmin, Area of 881.412 arcmin^2
Difference: Diameter of 4.1 arcmin, Area of 202.546 arcmin^2
Diameter percentage change**: +13.9% measured from apogee, -12.2% measured from perigee, ±13.0% measured from average
Area percentage change***: +29.8% measured from apogee, -23.0% measured from perigee, ±26.0% measured from average

* apogee/perigee -- the farthest and closest points, respectively, in the elliptical orbit
** this is noticeable to the naked eye, but not easily, as the reference point is separated by 7 months.
*** this is very noticeable, as an increase in area is also an increase in brightness by the same percentage
posted by mystyk at 7:04 AM on November 14, 2016 [8 favorites]


My future MIL texted us a picture of the super moon last night and it took a lot of self control to not send her a picture of my own personal super moon

hehe butts
posted by dismas at 7:06 AM on November 14, 2016 [13 favorites]


I took some pictures of it yesterday as it was just rising, when it looked suitably huge (and pink). Unfortunately it's raining here today so I'm unlikely to see it at it's best.
posted by dng at 7:09 AM on November 14, 2016 [1 favorite]




Argh loud yelling advertisement warning in case you're at work!!

That said boy I can't wait to cook hot dogs in the freezing cold on my roof tonight to check out this beaut'
posted by Mooseli at 7:42 AM on November 14, 2016


I noticed that the moon was particularly striking when I was out yesterday evening, but didn't think much of it (it had been a nice weekend after a crappy week, so I was primed to appreciate things).

Checking facebook later, one of the wooier types on my feed had made the following post:

Everyone!!! Please go outside and experience the magical, healing super moon this evening! Wow! 🙏🏽❤️️🌝

Goddammit people, it's the 21st century. Can we be done pretending that balls of rock in the sky are "magical"? They are super cool! And it's neat when orbital geometry and our weird ass atmosphere combine to create interesting effects. But any "healing" that comes from seeing a pretty looking moon is psychosomatic at best. No magic required.

So, I'm with Phil on this:
All in all, stuff like this “Supermoon” makes me conflicted. I love the idea that people will hear about it, go outside, and take a look at our nearest cosmic neighbor … especially if they otherwise wouldn’t. Getting people to go out and look up is a good contender for my Astronomical Prime Directive.

But I think they should be armed with the facts when they do, and be doing it for the right reasons. The right reasons are that the Moon is gorgeous, ever-changing, and honestly really fun to observe. Those are, in my opinion, the reasons you should go out and see it.
posted by sparklemotion at 7:44 AM on November 14, 2016 [5 favorites]


I mean, it seems fairly uncommon for an earthlike planet to have such a large moon, so it's at least a little magical.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 7:59 AM on November 14, 2016 [1 favorite]


There's a "super moon" (full moon closest to perigee) every year, This year's is a tiny fraction of a percent closer than last year's or next year's, or the year after that. Nobody will notice any difference, but they'll take pics of it with their phones and show them to me.
posted by rocket88 at 8:08 AM on November 14, 2016 [7 favorites]


They're only calling it a supermoon so you'll go to bed thinking, "Hey, that was neat," instead of the more appropriate, "HOLY SHIT THE MOON IS CRASHING INTO THE EARTH," which is totally what's going to really happen you guys.

2016, man.
posted by Sys Rq at 8:32 AM on November 14, 2016 [8 favorites]


It's just coincidence, right, that Arrival opened this weekend?
posted by ubiquity at 8:35 AM on November 14, 2016


Hmmm. I share the ambiguity of most astro folks. Looking at the moon is really neat and worth doing. Looking at the moon at perigee, if you have spent a lot of time observing the moon against consistent angular scale references, is even more cool. Claiming that it's the largest moon we'll see until 2034, while not untrue, seems cynical and manipulative.

"This is your only chance to see Halley's Comet for the next 75 years" is a great reason to stay up late and join a star party. "The moon appears larger by a fraction of a percent than it will until 2034" is a press release created solely in order to generate a press release.

On the other hand, a press release that says, "the moon is amazing. Just think about how cool it is! Go look at it. It's great" isn't going to make it into the papers. Convincing people to think about the moon is undeniably a good thing. And nobody's actually lying about how qualitatively boring the difference really is. But, I always feel a bit dirty talking about these sorts of events and pretending the event itself is actually interesting. This definitely falls into the "tricking people into thinking about science" rather than "explaining science" category. Whether that's a good thing is a hard question to answer.
posted by eotvos at 8:45 AM on November 14, 2016 [1 favorite]


this is very noticeable

no it's not. not really. because you don't see two means side-by-side and get to compare them. it's a slow gradual change and your memory really isn't that great at remembering details like this.

i'm amazed this makes the news tbh.
posted by andrewcooke at 8:46 AM on November 14, 2016 [2 favorites]


This too shall pass.
posted by OHenryPacey at 9:01 AM on November 14, 2016 [1 favorite]


It was pretty last night at nearly full, and very bright with the leaves off the trees.. . I hope it's clear tonight. Any shred of beauty is welcome right now.
posted by theora55 at 9:18 AM on November 14, 2016


It's just coincidence, right, that Arrival opened this weekend?

Yes. That's what coincidence is.
posted by The Tensor at 9:25 AM on November 14, 2016 [2 favorites]


We saw it last night at almost full and it was legit noticeably large! (We use the neighbor's roof for our comparator.) It was also very bright and very pretty. Definitely a striking moon amidst the moons of the year.

I went out after dinner to get a picture but clouds had some up so I got spooky supermoon
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:32 AM on November 14, 2016 [1 favorite]


'Twas a bright moon last night, and it shone beautifully through the clouds.
posted by Kevin Street at 9:33 AM on November 14, 2016 [1 favorite]


Supermoon, superstorm, supermarket, supersize, supergirl, supersoaker. I hate things "super" except Superman and I only like him because George Reeves was weird. It's fodder for the end-of-broadcast boobie-weather-sweatergirls, sorry, meterologists and the slightly tan haircuts who you see at 5:27. If they run out of adorable cat videos.
posted by vapidave at 9:42 AM on November 14, 2016


Normal moon vs. Supermoon
posted by straight at 9:46 AM on November 14, 2016 [1 favorite]


That's no moon!
posted by Damienmce at 10:10 AM on November 14, 2016 [2 favorites]


Moons are pretty.
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:20 AM on November 14, 2016 [1 favorite]


Wh... why take a picture of it? Why, yes, that's the moon all right. You got a picture of... the moon. And if I showed you a picture of the moon taken five months or five years or five decades ago, they'd look just the same.

I mean, you print out a 5x7 of that, and you're expecting... what, exactly? Sure, it's an interesting visual phenomenon to experience, but a picture just makes it small again.

Yes, I'm cranky lately.
posted by GhostintheMachine at 10:27 AM on November 14, 2016 [2 favorites]


I noticed the moon was particularly bright last night - but I'm pretty sure that had more to do with atmospheric reasons than it being a little a bit closer.

Still really cool and super pretty though.
posted by mayonnaises at 10:29 AM on November 14, 2016


I'm observing at the Blanco telescope in Chile -- the moonlight was bright enough to cast sharp shadows last night, with no other light sources around (not so good for astronomical observations, unfortunately...). It certainly seemed bigger and brighter than normal.
posted by janewman at 10:39 AM on November 14, 2016 [2 favorites]


HOLY SHIT THE MOON IS CRASHING INTO THE EARTH

god, if only
posted by poffin boffin at 10:40 AM on November 14, 2016 [8 favorites]


This definitely falls into the "tricking people into thinking about science"

Hm. I'm not sure all the moon selfies or "supermoon over my favorite landmark or my house" posts to social media we saw today, and will see more of tomorrow, constitute thinking about science.

(Taking pictures of crescent moons is more interesting, I think.) WHEN IS THE NEXT SUPERFOURDAYOLDMOON?
posted by aught at 10:41 AM on November 14, 2016 [1 favorite]


Mayonnaises, I read something about the supermoon effect making it seem 30% brighter. All I know is I that when I got up at 4 am to let my cat out, it was so bright that I thought I'd left a light on somewhere.
posted by peppermind at 10:42 AM on November 14, 2016


I went out after dinner to get a picture but clouds had some up so I got spooky supermoon

spooky warning: this is very spooky
posted by poffin boffin at 10:42 AM on November 14, 2016 [4 favorites]


I strolled back through a darkening park in leafy south London last night just transfixed by this - it lit us all the way home. So big!
Although I did expect at one point to hear "SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT".

posted by freya_lamb at 11:08 AM on November 14, 2016 [1 favorite]


I mean, it seems fairly uncommon for an earthlike planet to have such a large moon, so it's at least a little magical.

Our sample size is pretty small.
 
posted by Herodios at 11:59 AM on November 14, 2016 [3 favorites]


For your full moon enjoyment, courtesy of the Farmer's Almanac: Full Moon Names.
posted by TrishaU at 12:06 PM on November 14, 2016


I'm a witch and I have all the full moons on my notifications and I will go outside tonight and probably blow the moon a kiss and even I think this "supermoon" thing is super overhyped.
posted by fiercecupcake at 12:23 PM on November 14, 2016 [3 favorites]


Is this at least the last time anybody will post on social media about the damned "supermoon" for 15 years? That would be worth giving a shit about. I cant be the only one who is just sick and tired of "new" "supermoon" posts seemingly every month.
posted by Megafly at 4:03 PM on November 14, 2016 [1 favorite]


Well, I went outside to look at it and I thought it was beautiful. It's super cliche and sappy but I do love to look up at the night sky and think about how everyone on earth lives under the same moon. And I imagine what it might have been like for ancient peoples who were trying to make sense the phases of the moon and the movement of constellations and how it must have been so wondrous to watch the moon appear and disappear month by month. My kid and I walked down the street in our pajamas til we got a clear view and I held him tight and remembered the times I'd seen big and bright moons when I was a kid.
posted by TheLateGreatAbrahamLincoln at 5:28 PM on November 14, 2016 [5 favorites]


Meanwhile, in Australia...*

*Not exclusively Australia, but our moon was decidedly less than super...
posted by prismatic7 at 7:05 PM on November 14, 2016 [1 favorite]


I was hoping supermoon meant extra servings of rice cakes or something. Oh well.
posted by ardgedee at 7:18 PM on November 14, 2016 [1 favorite]


Enjoyed the big moon rising while immersed in the chilly waters of Barton Springs. Did a little casual howling with dozen or so wolf//dog/coyote people in the pool. Super!
posted by a humble nudibranch at 8:26 PM on November 14, 2016 [1 favorite]


I had a beautiful view of the moon from our backyard. It was a good excuse to go outside, look up and marvel at the universe (and forget what a crap week it has been back here on Earth).

Anyway, speaking of Australia, someone posted this in my FB feed:
Moon Turned Back For Coming Too Close To Australia
posted by piyushnz at 8:40 PM on November 14, 2016


It's so ridiculously bright, like fantasy novel tracking a fugitive on a moonlit night bright!
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:07 PM on November 14, 2016 [1 favorite]


I loathe the whole supermoon thing. Unreservedly, without conflict or modifier. It's a fib about something that matters to me, viz science, and no thinking person should give it head room.

Also, there's no Santa Claus, you cannot lose pounds overnight by this one weird trick doctors are desperate for you not to know. and your favourite sports team is a waste of organised protoplasm.

God, am I on the wrong planet or what?

Bah. Humbug.
posted by Devonian at 4:15 AM on November 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


Overhyped? Maybe, but these collections of photos still gave me chills.
posted by cynical pinnacle at 6:00 PM on November 15, 2016


Well, I guess that we can all agree on one thing.
posted by sparklemotion at 9:31 AM on November 16, 2016




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