Today is October 6, 2006, and the moon glows brighter today then I could ever remember. What could be the reason for this? It seems to shine a pure white of light as if it was a spot light. Could this have something to do with the sun or the aliments of the planets?
2006-10-06 14:45:53 · 12 answers · asked by Guardian Squall 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
October full Harvest Moon...
2006-10-06 14:51:37 · answer #1 · answered by luckiest 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you email me at
fortitudinousskeptic@yahoo.com
I can attach to an email a diagram that would explain this visually and email it back.
We're at close to full moon now. If the Earth was exactly between the sun and the moon, we'd have a lunar eclipse as the moon would be in Earth's umbra. If it was pretty close, the moon would actually be in Earth's penumbra shadow, and wouldn't be so bright. Right now they're not aligned so well, so we're getting no shading of the moon and it's exceptionally bright.
2006-10-06 14:56:27 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's because it is actually closer to earth than usual.. -
They call it the perigee which is when the moon is at its closest to earth during its orbit. (The opposite is its apogee).
Here's an article from earlier today on Yahoo which explains how unusual this is.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20061006/sc_space/tonightsfullmoon12percentbigger;_ylt=AgF0rYakWKmuba2JKI9Ib52s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3ODdxdHBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-
Here's a link to a picture which shows the difference between the look of the moon at its apogee and perigee.
http://www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/moon_ap_per.html
This particular moon is also called a harvest moon (and this would be true even if it wasn't at its perigee) because it's a full moon at the time of year when harvests take place and the brightness allowed farmers to continue haresting through the night.
Here's another link which explains the apogee and perigee better:
http://www.moonconnection.com/apogee_perigee.phtml
2006-10-06 14:54:30 · answer #3 · answered by JaneB 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They just had the story on Yahoo news earlier today...it's supposed to be 12% brighter.....It's also considered the "Harvest Moon"
2006-10-06 14:56:37 · answer #4 · answered by Damned fan 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The moon seems better even as that's low down on the horizon than even as that's extreme contained in the sky. that's an optical phantasm, in case you're taking a digital camera (probable you've one connected on your cellular telephone) and snap a photo of the moon even as it seems extremely massive (oftentimes even as that's finished and basically starting to be round sundown), then look on the photo on your digital camera you'd be surprised at how small it seems on the photo compared on your memory of ways enormous it regarded.
2016-10-16 03:53:07 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
probably because the sky is clear and the angle the sun light is reflecting off the moon
2006-10-06 14:49:33 · answer #6 · answered by RichUnclePennybags 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Space.com said that the full moon is 12% bigger than normal. The brightness also has to do with how clear your sky is where you are.
2006-10-06 14:57:59 · answer #7 · answered by LoveMyLife 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
OK - I don't have an answer, but I would totally agree with you - it was so bright I could have driven without my headlights on tonight. My 2 yo son kept saying, "White Moon!" "White Moon!"
2006-10-06 14:55:48 · answer #8 · answered by hiyall_03 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I saw this thing today that said the moon was 12 percent bigger. I cant remember where i saw it though
2006-10-06 14:53:01 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is the harvest moon
2006-10-06 14:50:25 · answer #10 · answered by vesta k 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋