Saturday night, May 5th, at 11:35pm, the full moon will be closer to Earth than at any other time this year – that’s a supermoon – and it’s free.
Looking is free, but you cannot touch it – that’s a relatively expensive endeavor since even at its closet the moon will be 221,800 thousand mile away.
The term “supermoon” was actually not used until the late 1970s to describe the occasion when the moon appears bigger and brighter. This supermoon is expected to appear 16% bigger and 30% brighter than an average full moon.
Prior to astrologer Richard Nolle coining the term “supermoon”, people would often simply say, “Wow, look at that moon.” Others with a more romantic flair might proclaim aloud, “Bella luna!”
Those thinking of trying to capture some moon shots with a camera might want to consider the time immediately after sunset when the moon is rising over the horizon. It’s expected to lend itself to very scenic images with a deeper hue.