Supermoon predicted for tonight

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Supermoon predicted for tonight

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The moon will appear to be bigger as it makes its closest approach to Earth in 18 years.

19 March,2011 10:05 am

The Supermoon expected on Saturday night won’t be just any other full moon as scientists estimate it will appear to be 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter at its peak. The moon will be 221,565 miles away from the earth, which it the closest is has been since March 1993. Full moons vary in size because of the oval shape of its orbit, with one end closer to Earth.Geoff Chester of the US Naval Observatory said that most of the people are completely oblivious to the moon’s presence but this celestial phenomenon will give people an excuse to take time out for a fascinating observation.Chester said that a full moon tends to bring a range of high and low tides in the ocean but there is no truth to the superstition that Supermoons cause natural disasters.