Sciences education : here comes the 1st Supermoon

Colorado, USA, 2014

credits : via Joe Randall

http://en.es-static.us/

After the Magic Blue Moon last July, here the full moon of August 29, 2015. It will be the first of this year’s three full supermoons.

It’s a full moon near perigee, or near its closest point to Earth for the month. Like it or not, modern skylore dictates that these sorts of moons are called supermoons.

A full moon is when the sun, Earth and moon line up, with the Earth in the middle. As seen from the surface of the Earth, the moon is fully illuminated. Because it is opposite the sun in the sky, the moon rises in the east just as the sun sets in the west. And, roughly 12 hours later, the moon sets in the west just as the sun is rising in the east.

Because the Earth is constantly revolving around the sun and the moon is constantly revolving around the Earth, a full moon is an instantaneous event, occurring when the moon is exactly opposite the sun. This week, such an alignment happens at 2:35 p.m. EDT (1835 GMT) on Saturday, Aug. 29. 

http://arraytheday.com/

August 2015 full moon is also the first of three full-moon supermoons in 2015. Previously, we had three new moon supermoons in January, February and March, 2015. 

The full moons on August 29, September 28 and October 27 all enjoy the supermoon designation because the centers of these full moons and the center of Earth are less than 361,836 kilometers (224,834 miles) apart. The closest supermoon of the year comes with the September 28 full moon, presenting a moon that’s only 356,877 kilometers (221,753 miles) from Earth. 

The closest and largest full supermoon of them all will fall on September 28, to stage a total eclipse of the moon. Some will call it a Blood Moon eclipse.

But will our eye see that the moon is bigger on the night of August 29? It will depend. 

Are you an incredibly careful observer? Have you watched the full moon over a period of months, leading up to now? 

If so, says Daniel Fischer in Königswinter, Germany, you can discern the extra-large size of the supermoon using just your eye. 

http://en.es-static.us/

ducation :

Three Supermoon. Again ! Wow !

The last time a supermoon made headlines was in July 12 2014, when it appeared to be 14 per cent bigger and 30 per cent brighter. However, you can read my post Supermoon in Science education (2013).

Schools are prepared to start the new school year in Europe. But in the Uniter States the summer break for students and teachers have finished this week.

All teachers, no matter the new school year begun or not, are in touch with students via Facebook or Twitter school or personal account, viaschool email accounts, or even on blogs or educational websites (school or individual).

Skywarchers

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So I think they invited their students to join some skywatchers at national observatories of Astronomy, or go out with family observing the supermoon of tonight.

Ask students to make some shots or videos with their smartphones, tablets or

iphones to explore in Sciences curriculum after Summer holiday.

And of course, to compare with the summer supermoon 2014.

Next week, at school, even in Europe, (school year will start next week), teachers and students will exchange their experience, exploring the resources and debating the interesting Science case.

In practice, it's not always easy to tell the difference between a supermoon and an ordinary full Moon. A 30% difference in brightness can easily be masked by clouds and haze.  Also, there are no rulers floating in the sky to measure lunar diameters. Hanging high overhead with no reference points to provide a sense of scale, one full Moon looks about the same size as any other.

 “The ‘Moon Illusion’  is probably what will make people remember this coming set of Full Moons, more than the actual view of the Moon itself,” 

The closest and largest full supermoon of them all will fall on September 28, to stage a total eclipse of the moon. Some will call it a Blood Moon eclipse.

Meditation

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Mystic side:


Oh! By the way, are you ready to attract your heartfelt longings by doing a moon ritual focused on manifestation? 

Full moons are always energetically powerful, deeply creative and also intensely magical times.

All full moons bring us in touch with our emotions, our sensitivities and our inner-selves. We all feel different on a full moon night.

Today August 29^th, 2015 we are havin Full Monn in Piscies that will light up the summer sky and, perhaps, bring some new insight onto the scene. 

Sun in Virgo opposite Moon in Pisces. Full Moons are a time where we can feel challenged by the energy of two opposite signs. In this case it is the polarity of the Sun in Virgo (Ego Needs) and Moon in Pisces (Emotional Needs).

Powerful twists and turns of perception could set us on a brand new course, given all the combinations in play.

"Full moon *SuperMoon* is here in dreamy Pisces bringing forth the fluid energies that connect us to the unseen worlds. This is a beautiful spiritual Full Moon that calls us to connect with the deepest part of our Soul and to remember that there’s more to life than meets the eye. We are being called to feel beneath the surface to access the magic experience of direct communication and communion with the world around us. Open up your whole Self and experience the grandeur of oneness. "

The Pisces Moon is aligned with Neptune, amplifying our connection to the spiritual, quantum energies of life.

Oh! I like this spiritually coming from the Full Moon in our life. Well, let's be open mind to appreciate all the good things that it can be brought to us.

Hope you will enjoy to be a skywatcher tonight, August 29 admiring the beauty of this awesome scientific event. And of course with an open mind to the magic of the moment not only in the sky, also into aour life.

(...)
Far far away
No voices sounding
No one around me
And you're still there
Far far away
No choices passing
No time confounds me
And you're still there

In the full moon's light I listen to the stream
And in between the silence hear you calling me
But I don't know where I am
And I don't trust who I've been
And If I come home how will I ever leave.

Full Moon, Twilight soundtrack, by The Black Ghosts

Hope you will enjoy the music and will admire the beauty of Full Mooon tonight.

G-Souto

29.08.2015
Copyright © 2015G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Science education : here come the 1st Supermoon by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

sources: 

EarthSky
The Elephant Journal

Science Education : Summer Supermoons 2014

Supermoon 

credits : NASA

http://www.televisioninternet.com/

"If you thought one supermoon was bright, how about three….? The full Moons of summer 2014—July 12th, August 10th, and Sept. 9th - will all be supermoons."

NASAScience

The moon will appear unusually large and bright this Saturday evening, in the first of three so-called ‘Supermoon’ events that will take place this summer.

The so-called "supermoon" occurs when the Moon reaches its closest point to Earth, known as a perigee full moon.

The summer of 2014 will be bathed in moonlight as three perigee "supermoons" occur in consecutive months: July, August, September. Oh, my ! So good for all of us ! And the students, of course.

The scientific term for the phenomenon is "perigee moon." Full Moons vary in size because of the oval shape of the Moon's orbit. The Moon follows an elliptical path around Earth with one side ("perigee") about 50,000 km closer than the other ("apogee").  Full Moons that occur on the perigee side of the Moon's orbit seem extra big and bright.

This coincidence happens three times in 2014.  On July 12th and Sept 9th the Moon becomes full on the same day as perigee.  On August 10th it becomes full during the same hour as perigee—arguably making it an extra-super Moon."

Stargazers will be able to catch the moon appearing to be strangely luminous at 11:25 (GMT) tonight, when it will be 222,611 miles away and in what is known as its perigee.

Tonight’s Supermoon full moon peak time is different than last year. LALATE has been covering the Supermoon since 2011. That year was the first time in which a “perigee full moon” occurrence got a new name as a “Supermoon”. The confusion stems from the name. We have always experienced on earth a “perigee full moon” roughly 13 months and 18 days. But only starting in 2011 did we start to give the evening a new name as a “Supermoon”. 

This year, because there are three Supermoons, NASA is reminding fans that we can now even use three different names:

• the Buck Moon Supermoon; 

• the Sturgeon Moon Supermoon; 

• the Corn Moon Supermoon.

For more information, visit NASA website here

Perigee diagram

credits: NASA

http://science.nasa.gov/

Full moons vary in size because of the oval shape of its orbit and its elliptical path around Earth.

When in perigee, the moon is around 50,000 km closer than when it is furthest away, or in apogee.

On 12 July and at 01:38 (GMT) on 9 September, it will become full on the same day it is in perigree, and appear in the sky as an enormous, glowing orb. 

Perigee diagram

credits: NASA

http://science.nasa.gov/

But true astronomical buffs are most excited by 10 August, when the moon will be 863 miles closer than on Saturday, and will become full on the same hour as perigree and will appear at its brightest in 2014.

Unlike solar eclipses and other celestial treats, supermoons occur every 13 months and 18 days, Geoff Chester of US Naval Observatory told NASA Science. However, these events are not always noticed, as they can be masked by clouds and poor weather.

In fact there are two further perigree moons on the astronomical calendar this year, but these are not visible from Earth.

Wat's up for August 2014

Credits : NASA

Go outside to see Venus and Jupiter at dawn, Saturn and Mars at dusk. No telescope required! Plus the annual Perseid meteor shower is in full swing now through the 17th. 

The shower peaks the night of August 12-13, but the bright moon that night will likely interfere with viewing some of the fainter meteors. The Perseid shower occurs each year when Earth travels through a trail of dusty particles left behind by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle.

NASA

Education :

Three Supermoon in a Row ! Wow !

The last time a supermoon made headlines was in June last year, when it appeared to be 14 per cent bigger and 30 per cent brighter. You can read my post Super moon in Science education

Schools are closed in the most part of the world. It's summer break for students and teachers.

However, teachers are in touch with students via Facebook or Twitter school email accounts, or even on blogs or educational websites (school or individual).

So they can invite th students to join some skywatchers at national observatories of Astronomy, or go out with family observing the supermoon of tonight and the next one on August 10th.

Ask students to make some shots or videos with their smartphones, tablets or

iphones to explore in Sciences curriculum after Summer holiday.

And of course, compare the supermoon on September, 9th 2014.

After the three supermoons 2014, teachers and students will exchange their experience and debate the interesting Science case.

In practice, it's not always easy to tell the difference between a supermoon and an ordinary full Moon. A 30% difference in brightness can easily be masked by clouds and haze.  Also, there are no rulers floating in the sky to measure lunar diameters. Hanging high overhead with no reference points to provide a sense of scale, one full Moon looks about the same size as any other.

 “The ‘Moon Illusion’  is probably what will make people remember this coming set of Full Moons, more than the actual view of the Moon itself,” 

"There's a part of me that wishes that this 'super-Moon' moniker would just dry up and blow away, like the 'Blood-Moon' that accompanied the most recent lunar eclipse, because it tends to promulgate a lot of mis-information," (...) "However, if it gets people out and looking at the night sky and maybe hooks them into astronomy, then it's a good thing."

Geoff Chester of the US Naval Observatory

Hope you will enjoy to be a skywatcher tonight, July 12th, August 12th and September 9th admiring the beauty of this awesome scientific event.

http://yoganonymous.com/

Spiritual side:

Oh ! By the way, are you ready to attract your heartfelt longings by doing a moon ritual focused on manifestation? 

The dark side of the moon, with its mysterious unseen forces, offers a nurturing environment where our intentions can establish roots before their miraculous manifestations begin to sprout and reach out to the stars.

For those who are lucky, stay 'Up all Night' to watch the Supermoon ! And for spiritual people, prepare yourself a sacred space where your will perform the ceremony when the new moon arrives. 

Namaste !

G-Souto

12.07.2014

Copyright © 2014G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Science Education: Summer Supermoons 2014 by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

References : 

NASAScience | ScienceNews

* Note: Update on August 2, 2014 (NASA new videol)