The
weekend of May 5-6, 2012, revealed a picture perfect view of the “super moon”.
A super moon occurs about every 14 months when the moon is both full and appears
closest to Earth during its orbit (Canberra Times, May 5, 2012).
The
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) agency of the United
States maintained that the moon appeared 14% larger and 30% brighter than usual
to the naked eye (www.nasa.gov). Often the orbit is close to Earth, but the
moon is not full or clouds obscure a clear view.
NASA
says that although the super moon is closer to Earth at this time, in terms of
Earth-Moon distance tracked by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, there is
little difference. The moon, normally about 251,000 miles from Earth, was 221,567 miles away this
weekend. In early Earth history, the moon was only 15,000 miles away.
NASA
scientists say the effects on Earth are minor according to seismologists
(scientists who measure earthquakes) and volcanologists (scientists who observe
volcanoes). It may affect ocean tides in a minor way, but not enough to
fundamentally overcome the larger forces within Earth itself due to convection.
Convection is the collective movement of ensembles
of molecules within fluids, such as the ocean. Convection can be qualified in
terms of being natural, forced, gravitational, granular, or thermomagnetic. Due
to its role in heat transfer, natural convection plays a role in the structure
of Earth’s atmosphere, its oceans, and its surface layer (mantle). Fluid
movement during convection may be invisibly slow, or it may be obvious and
rapid, as in a hurricane.
Some people,
including astrologers, may predict storms, earthquakes, volcanoes and other
natural disasters over the next few days and weeks. This is because last year,
a super moon occurred on March 19, and some say it caused the earthquake a week
earlier on March 11, resulting in Japan’s tsunami. However, scientists say that
earthquakes, storms, and other incidents happen regardless of the moon's
position, and in some cases multiple factors influence earthquakes and storms. Psychologists
say this phenomenon could create internal chaos for some individuals, but from
an astronomy perspective, there is little evidence that there will be drastic
effects as a result of the super moon this year.
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