Supermoon Calendar: Entities ‘clash’ over standards and the majority stick to only two dates this year | Sciences

The moon seen in the sky on Monday (3) is the object of classification differences, as different entities take into account different criteria to determine whether we have a “SupermoonOr just a classic Moon.

Understanding the main points of controversy:

• the phrase “supermoon” It is not an official astronomical definition Thus, its classification criteria are not consensual;
• The NASA division that integrates information about the Moon (NASA Science Earth’s Moon) Consider Monday’s full moon to be a supermoon;
• The National Observatory of Brazil (ON) and the Royal Observatory Greenwich, world references in astronomy, Supermoon condition is not applied;
• Supermoon occurs when The full moon occurs near perihelion (when you are closest to the ground);
• But how close is it? For most entities, the The distance should be less than 360,000 km;
• According to National Observatory of Brazilit will be on August 1 and 30.

Origin of the nickname “Supermon”

The reason for this difference has an explanation: The expression “supermoon” does not have an exact astronomical definition. The astrologer invented this word, which became famous. It was Richard Noll, 1979.

For this reason, some astronomy websites have started using it. However, since this is not an important concept for the field, its definition is not accepted by everyone and its classification criteria are not consensus.

Different types of calculations are made depending on proximity [da Lua]. But the National Observatory does not realize that today’s full moon was a supermoon. The next matches will be on the 1st and 31st of August, ”explains Josena Nascimento, Head of the ON Department.

Supermoons vs. Full Moons: What’s the Standard, Then?

Technically, the point at which the moon is “full” only lasts for a moment. This day was around 8 am Brasilia time, according to the National Observatory.

However, the moon can appear to the naked eye full for more than three consecutive days. So, even though it’s in Gibbos’ waning phase, the moon should appear “full” until next Tuesday.

A “supermoon” occurs when the full moon occurs near perigee (when it’s closest to Earth), resulting in a full moon that’s slightly larger and brighter than the rest.

“If the full moon occurs near perihelion, it is called a supermoon. How close depends on the orbit the moon is following at that moment, but in general it will be equal to a distance of less than 360,000 km from Earth,” explains Helio J. Rocha Pinto, director of the Observatory UFRJ Valongo.

This period is called perihelion because our natural satellite appears in the sky about 14% larger and 30% brighter than it did at aphelion (microns) – when it is farther away.

Thus, not every full moon is considered a supermoon.

According to the ephemeris of the Falongo Observatory, the National Observatory and the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, for example, we will have two supermoons in 2023:

• 🌕 One on August 1st
• 🌕 And the last one is August 30 (aka Blue Moon)

On a note, Greenwich also explained that observatory astronomers take into account the same classification criterion: the so-called 360,000 km.

Other than that, one of the main reference sites in this field is timeanddate.com, which also uses the same system: We would have a supermoon if, at the exact moment of the full moon, the moon was less than 360,000 km from the center of the Earth.

Rocha-Pinto adds, “A given location could use a more restricted distance, such as a smaller distance than 357,000 km from Earth. Therefore, it would classify fewer full moon events as supermoons.”

In Tuesday’s post announcing the “supermoon,” NASA did not provide its classification criteria. a g 1 The agency asked about the matter, but received no response.

“There is no official separation distance the Moon must be from Earth to be classified as a ‘supermoon’, so different institutions will classify which full moons are [uma superlua] Greenwich astronomer Anna Jamon Ross adds: