Sunday 7 January 2018

"Supermoon"...

Object: Moon
Distance: 356600 km
Constellation: Gemini
Date: 01 January 2018
Equipment: SXV-H9, Vixen 114mm f5.3 ED refractor,
Subframes: 300 x 0.004s H-alpha, no flats, no darks

Images were obtained via Astroart and then stacked and processed in Registax.

A "supermoon" is defined as a new or full moon which occurs when it is at (or within 90% of) its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit. Supermoons are not uncommon - there are usually between four and six a year on average.

This one is unusual, however, in that it came only 4.5 hours after the moon reached lunar perigee – the moon’s closest point to Earth in its monthly orbit. 


Of the 13 full moons and 14 lunar perigees occurring in 2018, this is the closest alignment of full moon and lunar perigee for the year.  This full moon therefore represents the largest and brightest supermoon of 2018.

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