Supermoon To Occur On May 6

[Rooo]

Supermoon to occur on May 6

BANGKOK, 4 May 2012 (NNT) - The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) revealed that the biggest full moon of the year, or a “supermoon”, will occur on May 6 at 10.34pm, local time.

Mr. Saran Poshyachinda, NARIT deputy director said a supermoon takes place when the moon hits its full phase while making the closest approach to Earth for the month, a lunar milestone known as perigee. This year the distance between the Earth and the Moon during the full moon is estimated at 356,953 kilometers.

He added that the phenomenon is scientifically termed as a “perigee moon.” Due to the oval shape of the Moon’s orbit, full moon varies in sizes. Full Moons that occur on the perigee side of the Moon’s orbit, unlike the farther side termed ‘Apogee’, generally appear bigger and brighter by 2-3%.

Mr. Saran pointed out that a perigee full Moon commonly entails extra-high perigean tides, which is a natural occurrence. The supermoon occurs approximately once a year on average and the last such coincidence fell on March 20, 2011, producing a full Moon that was measured at 356,577 kilometers away.

-- NNT 2012-05-04

[Boater]

doesnt this also cause a very high tide? ... hope it doesnt rain at the same time !

[Tywais]

doesnt this also cause a very high tide? ... hope it doesnt rain at the same time !

Ranong prepares for 'super high tide' from 'Super Moon'

The "Full Moon" phenomenon will find the moon directly opposite the earth from the sun. The moon will be 16 per cent brighter as it approaches its closest distance to earth and will also be the year's largest.

Ranong people living near the sea have previously experienced the high tide, which caused flooding.

Payom Kaewdaeng, a villager of Muang district said that many residents have already packed their items out of fear that the phenomenon would cause inundation of their areas.

"We had bad experience with flooding caused by the full moon before. Now it is Super Moon, which could possibly result in a higher tide," he said.

However, he said his friends and neighbours were not nervous, as they had experienced a "super moon" before. They nonetheless expected the provincial authorities to be on the alert and ready to help people in case of emergency.

-- The Nation May 4, 2012

[Tywais]

Visual size difference between 'normal' and Super Moon.

EarthSky

[Boater]

doesnt this also cause a very high tide? ... hope it doesnt rain at the same time !

Ranong prepares for 'super high tide' from 'Super Moon'

The "Full Moon" phenomenon will find the moon directly opposite the earth from the sun. The moon will be 16 per cent brighter as it approaches its closest distance to earth and will also be the year's largest.

Ranong people living near the sea have previously experienced the high tide, which caused flooding.

Payom Kaewdaeng, a villager of Muang district said that many residents have already packed their items out of fear that the phenomenon would cause inundation of their areas.

"We had bad experience with flooding caused by the full moon before. Now it is Super Moon, which could possibly result in a higher tide," he said.

However, he said his friends and neighbours were not nervous, as they had experienced a "super moon" before. They nonetheless expected the provincial authorities to be on the alert and ready to help people in case of emergency.

-- The Nation May 4, 2012

this is what caused the serious and unusal flooding last year ( think it was late march )

[Tywais]

Some circles say that it can cause an increase in earthquake activity. Some blame the Japanese earthquake on it. Guess need to keep Phuket under watch.

[Rooo]

No danger from this weekend's supermoon: scientists

Ekapong Praditpong

Boonluen Promprathankul

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand yesterday dismissed widespread rumours that the upcoming lunar perigee - the so-called supermoon - will bring about apocalyptic events.

"Don't believe that the supermoon will bring doomsday," NARIT deputy director Saran Posayajinda said. "This natural phenomenon will just push up water levels by between 1 and 12 centimetres. It will not cause any big earthquake whatsoever."

A supermoon occurs when the perigee coincides with a full moon.

At 10.34pm on Sunday tomorrow, the moon will be closer to the Earth than at any other time in the past year. At that moment, the moon is expected to be just 356,953 kilometres away from the Earth. To human eyes, the moon will grow bigger by a few per cent during the perigee tonight. (May 5).

Last year, the moon got closest to the Earth at about 2.10am on March 20. It was just 356,577km away.

Rumours that the supermoon will cause disasters are spreading like wildfire, though. Some people are really worried, while some others say they just have to take precautions.

"I am moving my belongings to higher ground," Payom Kaewdaeng said. He is a resident of the Pak Klong area of Ranong's Muang district.

He said people in many coastal communities had taken the same steps.

"The sea level has sometimes got so high that it damaged our stuff," Payom said. Many people have erected sandbag walls around their houses.

A disaster prevention and mitigation official in Ranong said that when the moon gets closer to the Earth, sea tides are harsher for about two weeks.

"But there will be no serious impacts, besides the moon shining brighter."

-- The Nation 2012-05-05

[CARLIN]

Is this tonight or Sunday

Super Moon Over Earth Saturday Night

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2012/05/super-moon-over-earth-saturday-night.html?utm_source=TheDailyGalaxyNews&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=TheDailyGalaxyNews

.

[jamesbrock]

Is this tonight or Sunday

Super Moon Over Earth Saturday Night

http://www.dailygala...DailyGalaxyNews

Strange how it has already occurred in the US and Pakistan, but not here! In trying to confirm this, it seems that the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) has it wrong... Surely not...

Time and date dot com says the moon will be full today at 10:35am ICT - http://www.timeandda...on&afl=-1&day=1

Full moon dot info says the full moon will occur at 05:35 am CEST, which is 10:35am ICT - http://www.fullmoon....n-calendar.html

Moon phases dot info say the full moon will occur at 03:35am GMT, which is 10:35am ICT - http://moonphases.in...ndar_dates.html

Even this website says it's at 10:37am this morning - http://www.kwathaben...ountry=Thailand

Obviously I am not an astronomer, so I could be reading these completely wrong... I hope I am!

Edit: I just opened my trusty Night Sky iPhone app, and it shows the moon is currently on the other side of the planet - not where it would be if it was going be full here in an hour or so!

Edited May 6, 2012 by jamesbrock

[Tropicalevo]

According to the on-line Telegraph (UK) it is at it's closest at 4.30 am UK time tomorrow morning (Monday). 10.30 pm our time tonight.

It apparently happens "just after the moon hits perigree - when it is closest to earth". (356,400 kms)

[kotsak]

According to the on-line Telegraph (UK) it is at it's closest at 4.30 am UK time tomorrow morning (Monday). 10.30 pm our time tonight.

It apparently happens "just after the moon hits perigree - when it is closest to earth". (356,400 kms)

Thailand is +7, isn't it?

[Tropicalevo]

According to the on-line Telegraph (UK) it is at it's closest at 4.30 am UK time tomorrow morning (Monday). 10.30 pm our time tonight.

It apparently happens "just after the moon hits perigree - when it is closest to earth". (356,400 kms)

Thailand is +7, isn't it?

Not according to my sunclock - but then I am easily confused when they keep putting the clocks foreward and back.

[Tywais]

According to the on-line Telegraph (UK) it is at it's closest at 4.30 am UK time tomorrow morning (Monday). 10.30 pm our time tonight.

Thailand is +7, isn't it?

It's +7 relative to GMT. However UK is not always at GMT due to daylight savings time. For example UK is GMT+1 at the moment.

[Tropicalevo]

Well, it looked pretty big to me.

Beautiful

[insertmembernamehere]

It was 2.354 percent bigger. I measured it with my protractor and compass. . .

[Tropicalevo]

It was 2.354 percent bigger. I measured it with my protractor and compass. . .

Hmmm you are a better man than me Gungerdin.

[jamesbrock]

Well, it looked pretty big to me.

Beautiful

Yep. Couldn't get a pic as it was rising, but got a few ok shots while waiting for it.

This one was taken at 10:26PM

[itishothere]

Well the friend I was with last night was impressed. She said to me "wow, that's big".

(As we walked through Choeng Mon to dinner.)

[jamesbrock]

For comparison, here's last night's moon pic overlaid on a pic I took on 7 Feb. Same camera, same focal length, same settings.