There are two more times we will get to see a supermoon 2016.
We first saw one on Oct. 16, and we will see the last on Dec. 14. The second supermoon of the year, which will take place on Nov. 14, will be simply out of this world. The moon will be full on the same day as perigee for about two hours, which makes it an extra-supermoon.
The term supermoon has become a scientifically documented fact, originating in the astronomy theories of modern researchers, when the moon is within roughly 90 percent of its closest possible distance to Earth. The term is used today in a broader sense, describing a moon that is closer to Earth than usual.
The orbit of the moon is elliptical, which makes one side (perigee) approximately 30,000 miles closer to Earth than the other (apogee). A syzygy, as the phenomenon is described, is the scientific name for when our planet, the sun and the moon line up while the moon is orbiting the Earth.
This phenomenon makes the perigee-syzygy of the system created between our planet, the moon and the sun an event as our natural satellite is positioned on the other side of our planet, which allows us to experience a supermoon.
The Closest Moon In Seven Decades
The supermoon on Nov. 14 is the closest full moon in the 21st century that we'll experience, and it won't reach this closeness again until November 2034.
However, it's not the only special supermooon we're experiencing in 2016, as the one in December will wipe out our possibility to see the Geminid meteor shower. Because of the bright moonlight, the visibility of meteors will be significantly reduced, which will make the meteor shower significantly less impressive.
The perigee full moon can be up to 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than the full moon in the apogee position, but it's always possible for this difference to be blurred away by different factors, such as clouds or the intense urban lights of the big cities.
And while the differences are often difficult to tell, NASA's official position is that a supermoon is "undeniably beautiful" in itself, which encourages people around the world to book the day.
However, if you do plan on observing the phenomenon yourself, you should make sure that the place you're in is dark enough to make the most of the moment. The peak is expected to be reached at 8:52 a.m. EST, and people from Australia will experience it on Nov. 15.
