This Saturday many of you will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo. Upon exiting your party, if you find that the Moon looks larger than you last remember, I'll tell you now that it was not the libations. The full moon on May 5th will be a "supermoon", appearing roughly 14% larger and 30% brighter! That's pretty fascinating! So let's take a look at how this will come to be.
Perigee: the point in the orbit of a heavenly body, especially the moon, or of an artificial satellite at which it is nearest to the earth. (definition from dictionary.com) The moon's orbit is not a perfect circle, so there is a point in its orbit when it is closer to earth than any other point, and when it is farther away than any other point (apogee). See my image below.
There are a few coincidences occurring together to make this full moon so spectacular. For one, the full moon is coinciding with the perigee. In addition, the perigee distance varies by about 3%, and this one will be as close as it gets. So, be sure to enjoy this special full moon, and have a safe Cindo de Mayo.
Source SPACE.com: All about our solar system, outer space and exploration
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