Catch a glimpse of one of the year’s most popular astronomical spectacles, as a supermoon will illuminate the sky on Tuesday, June 14.
A supermoon, technically known as the “perigean full moon,” is an astronomical phenomenon occurring when the closest approach of the moon to the earth, referred to as perigee, coincides with a full moon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) explained in its June astronomical diary.
The distance of the moon from the earth is usually about 363,300 kilometers, but PAGASA said the June 14 full moon will be 357,656.377 kilometers away from earth, thus it is considered a supermoon.
Citing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, PAGASA said the moon may appear up to 17 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than the average full moon during a supermoon.
The moon will reach its maximum illumination at 7:52 p.m. (Philippine time).
“However, the change in size and brightness of the moon during the supermoon compared to the regular full moon might be difficult to detect through visual comparison. Changes in the size of the moon can be recognized once compared side by side with the previous photo of a regular full moon,” PAGASA pointed out.
The event can be watched through naked eyes and best observed with clear skies.