The “Supermoon of Sturgeon” event is on Thursday (11) and will be the last of the year | Sciences

This will be the third and final supermoon of the year. This term is not often used by astronomers, but it does mean it in practice The moon will appear bigger and brighter than usualbecause it will be close to a file rock bottomwhich is the closest point to the Earth during its orbit.

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This giant moon in August is known asGiant sturgeonThe name is associated with a time when fish were found in large numbers in the Great Lakes of North America, an enormous group of freshwater lakes between Canada and the United States.

This is the third time we will have a supermoon in 2022, according to NASA, the US space agency. the first was strawberry supermoonin June, The second was “Supermoon of the Deer”, in July.

NASA explains that for a natural satellite approach to be considered a supermoon, a new moon or full moon must be above 90% of perigee.

“Because we can’t see new supermoons (except when the moon passes in front of the sun and causes eclipses), what really catches the public’s attention are the full supermoons, because they are the biggest and brightest full moons of the year,” the statement says. agency.

To see the great moon, you do not need to use any special equipment. It is enough that the weather conditions are favorable without clouds. A suggestion is to look at the sky right after the moon rises, a time that varies depending on your region and timezone.

In São Paulo, for example, the moon will rise tomorrow at 5:29 p.m. In Recife, it will be 5:06 p.m. In Porto Velho, this phenomenon can be seen at 18:06 local time.

The term “supermoon” appeared in 1979 and is not what we would call an “astronomical concept”. It is used outside of academia to refer to the union of perigee with a full moon.. It is not infrequent to appreciate these situations, but it is an excellent opportunity for anyone who wants to start observing the sky.

Perseids: meteor showers

In the same week as the super sturgeon, The Barshawi meteor shower, which occurs every year, will reach its peak on August 12 and 13.

According to NASA, observers in the Northern Hemisphere will be able to see this phenomenon, which typically results in 50 to 100 “meteors” (meteors) per hour at their peak. But this year, and precisely because of the moon, the intensity of meteor showers will be reduced, with a maximum of 20 expected every hour.

This is because the brightness of the full moon, which lasts until next Saturday (13), will overshadow the viewers’ view.

In the southern hemisphere, which includes Brazil, Perseidas will be best visible in the cities of the north and northeast of the country.

Watching the phenomenon is also not necessary space equipment, but the dark environment facilitates observation.