Saturday, March 19, 2011

Super Moon Tonight!

          Aloha Friend :-)


 
"I'd say it's worth a look."  

Geoff Chester,
US Naval Observatory,
Washington DC






Gem!    



“Truth is a gem that is found at a great depth;
whilst on the surface of this world,
all things are weighed by the false scale of custom.”

 Lord Byron 


 

                   






"Whoever possesses that chest,
possesses the leverage
to command Davy Jones to do
whatever it is he or she wants."

Captain Jack Sparrow 




Not-So-Super Moon, smiling



 “If, instead of a gem, or even a flower,
we should cast the gift of a loving thought
into the heart of a friend,
that would be giving as the angels give”
  George MacDonald




A “Super Moon”
like we will enjoy tonight,
is a new or full moon
when Mistress Moon rides within 90 percent of her closest approach to Earth.

While this happens 4-6 times a year,
NASA says that tonight's full moon will nearly coincide
with the moon's closet orbit point around the Earth, 
making tonight's performance the biggest, visible 
full moon in North America in two decades!  

Officially, a “Super Moon” is called a "perigee moon.”  But who cares about being official? 
Super moons are
about 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter 
than non-perigee moons. . .
When the weather cooperates, that is.



 "Tonight's full Moon (March 19th)
occurs less than one hour away from perigee – a near-perfect coincidence that happens
only every18 years or so;
The last full Moon so big and close to Earth 
occurred in March of 1993."
Said Geoff Chester of the US Naval Observatory in Washington DC.


Contrary to some alarms circulating  around the Web, perigee Moons do not trigger natural disasters. The "super moon" of March 1983,  passed without incident. And an almost-super Moon in Dec. 2008
also proved harmless. 
(Besides, don't we have enough disasters
right now?)

If you want to try and see the full effect,
(and take your mind off disasters
even closer to our planet)
  then look when the Moon is near the horizon
in the early evening.
 
That is when illusion mixes with reality
to produce an incredible view,
  say the nerds at NASA. 
 
They promise that it will appear 
close enough to touch!

A super perigee Moon is still 356,577 km away. 
But in space, that's kissing distance!
So blow some to the man, or rabbit, or goddess 
that you see up there.

       Your Loony Pal, cloudia

at

45 comments:

  1. KayMarch 19, 2011 at 3:01 PM

    I wonder what the chances are of the skies clearing for tonight? Right now it's awfully cloudy on my end of the island.

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  2. AnonymousMarch 19, 2011 at 3:16 PM

    With my luck, it will be too cloudy to view the moon tonight, alas.

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  3. whoMarch 19, 2011 at 3:31 PM

    The moon looks huge when it first comes into view over the horizon in Oregon.

    I like the clouds Cloudia

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  4. Rosaria WilliamsMarch 19, 2011 at 3:42 PM

    Sending you warm greetings across the ocean. The skies are threatening to clear!

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  5. CloudiaMarch 19, 2011 at 4:05 PM

    Can't WAIT!

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  6. Brian MillerMarch 19, 2011 at 4:57 PM

    ok setting the alarm to get up early to catch the moon shot...and yeah lets lay off the disasters...
    aloha from va

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  7. SailorMarch 19, 2011 at 5:53 PM

    We saw the Super Moon already and its so beautiful.

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  8. SailorMarch 19, 2011 at 5:54 PM

    lol I just went out and looked again. Yes it is still beautiful and the sky here is clear.

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  9. AnonymousMarch 19, 2011 at 6:10 PM

    aloha


    cj

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  10. MargueriteMarch 19, 2011 at 7:07 PM

    All clear, here! And for toppers, the moon is in Virgo! (my sign) A super moon, indeed! Enjoy!

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  11. BitchMarch 19, 2011 at 7:18 PM

    Full moon tonight as well..
    Greetings from Athens!

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  12. AnonymousMarch 19, 2011 at 7:31 PM

    making bright me night.


    please have you all a wonderful sunday.

    daily athens

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  13. Myrna R.March 19, 2011 at 7:39 PM

    I love that you're looney. I will be outside tonight, howling like a fool.

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  14. 黄清华 Wong Ching WahMarch 19, 2011 at 8:17 PM

    Cloudia, i like that fish ...
    Happy weekend to you !

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  15. magiceyeMarch 19, 2011 at 9:10 PM

    A superloony /\ namaste from mumbai
    aloha!

    have posted a pic of the supermoon as seen in mumbai at http://on.fb.me/g2auJn

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  16. SandyCarlsonMarch 19, 2011 at 10:07 PM

    Big is beautiful! And she is right outside my window, which can hardly containt her.


    Thanks for a wonderful post.

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  17. Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis HallMarch 19, 2011 at 10:41 PM

    Happy Sunday..

    amazing inspirations in your post as always..

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  18. LisaMarch 19, 2011 at 11:15 PM

    I love all the pictures and their corresponding quotes. I'll be sure to go out and look at our moon tonight!

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  19. DonnaMarch 19, 2011 at 11:44 PM

    You always have the most interesting pictures and posts, Cloudia!1 I hope it's a gorgeous moon for you tonight!!

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  20. Windsmoke.March 20, 2011 at 12:36 AM

    As we all know when there's a full moon werewolves come out to play i wonder if they'll be 14 per cent bigger, just a thought from my bizarre mind :-).

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  21. Pietro BrosioMarch 20, 2011 at 1:44 AM

    Excellent post, the moon is always so fascinating!
    Happy Sunday

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  22. AnonymousMarch 20, 2011 at 2:28 AM

    And it was an amazing moon last night! Hope you managed to see it.

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  23. bichonpawzMarch 20, 2011 at 2:43 AM

    Last night was truly amazing...the moon was HUGE!!! Tonight it is still very BRIGHT!!! Aloha Cloudia!!
    Jeanne

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  24. Dr. Russell Norman MurrayMarch 20, 2011 at 3:10 AM

    "I'd say it's worth a look."

    Excellent clouds and sky.

    Happy Sunday.

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  25. taioMarch 20, 2011 at 4:17 AM

    superb

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  26. Betty ManousosMarch 20, 2011 at 4:23 AM

    That fish is stunning!
    Have a great Sunday!
    Aloha-always!

    B xx

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  27. Cezar and LéiaMarch 20, 2011 at 4:37 AM

    I like the way you mix image and quotations, very well done!
    hugs
    Léia - Bonjour Luxembourg

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  28. the walking manMarch 20, 2011 at 6:36 AM

    Saw it looked at it reached out to steal it and it said "NO."

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  29. wennMarch 20, 2011 at 9:18 AM

    it looks the same to me.

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  30. HilaryMarch 20, 2011 at 9:55 AM

    It was a beauty of a moon.

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  31. TeresaMarch 20, 2011 at 11:34 AM

    I did notice that the moon was particularly big and bright, but I did not know that it was a super moon! Thanks for sharing this wonderfully loony information.

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  32. Phivos NicolaidesMarch 20, 2011 at 1:42 PM

    Interesting and beautiful pictures!

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  33. UnknownMarch 20, 2011 at 2:13 PM

    Looked on the same moon as you did, isn't that cool?

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  34. JunosmomMarch 20, 2011 at 2:14 PM

    Okay, I'm getting tired of it not giving me a chance to say who I am. Cathy is Junosmom

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  35. Full-On-ForwardMarch 20, 2011 at 2:22 PM

    AWESOME FISH!!!! And the Moo was a bust here until 5:30 am as we had violent Thunderstorms all night!

    But I felt it's Pull!

    HFTRC!

    I think I saw the Flag!!!!

    J

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  36. Charles GramlichMarch 20, 2011 at 3:02 PM

    It was definitely cool.

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  37. KrippledWarriorMarch 20, 2011 at 3:16 PM

    Astro-physics is now NASA NERD. Cool........

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  38. CloudiaMarch 20, 2011 at 11:12 PM

    Such a jolly moon viewing party because YOU were here!

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  39. FireblossomMarch 20, 2011 at 11:41 PM

    My car died. I blame the super moon!

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  40. Commander ZaiusMarch 20, 2011 at 11:50 PM

    I missed it, a thunderstorm moved into the area and it stayed cloudy until the early morning. Serious bummer.

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  41. saverio otrantoMarch 21, 2011 at 2:42 AM

    nice, shots and words

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  42. CloudiaMarch 21, 2011 at 2:43 AM

    LOL

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  43. Reader WilMarch 21, 2011 at 2:53 AM

    A perigee moon? I shall remember that!
    In a couple of hours I am going to meet Kay Davies from Canada. She is touring the Netherlands and now going to see our windmills.
    Groetjes van Wil

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  44. claudeMarch 21, 2011 at 4:07 AM

    No time to come before Cloudia. I was very busy at work.
    The super moon of the night before the last night has been my nightmare. I do not know if it is me who do not love the moon or if it is the moon which does not love me.

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  45. DarylMarch 21, 2011 at 1:30 PM

    I fell asleep!

    ReplyDelete

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