It’s about that time again. On June 23, the year’s largest supermoon will be visible above the Saigon skies.
A supermoon occurs when a full moon lines up with the Earth and the sun at a specific point in its orbit, called the lunar perigee. That's the point at which the moon is nearest to Earth as it traces its elliptical path around our planet.
Coined by astrologer Richard Nolle, the term "supermoon" essentially means a bigger and brighter full moon.
Dang Tuan Duy, chairman of Ho Chi Minh City Amateur Astronomy Club, said that the supermoon can be seen at 6:34pm on June 23:
“The moon at perigee [the point at which the Moon is closest in its orbit to the Earth] is 12-14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than a normal full moon."
This will be the closest the moon will come to Earth in 2013. Then next time the moon will be this close again will be in August 2014.
If you’re able to capture some great images of the lunar event, send them to contribute@saigonner.com.
