Here's how supermoons work:
1. The moon's orbit around Earth is elliptical, not circular. This means that the moon's distance from Earth varies throughout its orbit.
2. The closest point in the moon's orbit is called perigee. Perigee occurs about every 27.3 days.
3. When a full moon occurs at or near perigee, it is called a supermoon.
4. A supermoon can appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than a normal full moon.
5. Supermoons are not rare. They occur about once every 13 months.
Supermoons can be a beautiful sight to behold. They are also a reminder of the complex and dynamic nature of the Earth-moon system.
Here are some additional facts about supermoons:
* The term "supermoon" is relatively new. It was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979.
* Supermoons are sometimes called "perigee moons" or "full moon perigees."
* The first supermoon of 2023 will occur on January 21.
* The largest supermoon of the year will occur on August 11.
* Supermoons can cause minor flooding and erosion, especially if they occur during high tide.
* Supermoons have no effect on human behavior.
