Apparently, this is the brightest and fullest moon of the year and a bonus is that Mars is visible as well. I went out earlier and viewed the phenomenon and if it is still clear skies for you take a step out the door and check this beautiful moon out. Just to the left and toward the bottom of the moon you will see a reddish star twinkling. That would be Mars.
I attempted to get a picture but hey, all that I had was my Blackberry:) Check it out. I've posted it top right.
Borrowed resource info:
(Jan. 29) – Tonight's full moon will be the biggest and brightest full moon of the year. It offers anyone with clear skies an opportunity to identify easy-to-see features on the moon.
This being the first full moon of 2010, it is also known as the wolf moon, a moniker dating back to Native American culture and the notion that hungry wolves howled at the full moon on cold winter nights. Each month brings another full moon name.
Tonight's full moon is the first of the year.
But why will this moon be bigger than others? Here's how the moon works:
The moon is, on average, 238,855 miles from Earth. The moon's orbit around Earth – which causes it to go through all its phases once every 29.5 days – is not a perfect circle, but rather an ellipse. One side of the orbit is 31,070 miles closer than the other.
So in each orbit, the moon reaches this closest point to us, called perigee. Once or twice a year, perigee coincides with a full moon, as it will tonight, making the moon bigger and brighter than any other full moons during the year.
Tonight it will be about 14 percent wider and 30 percent brighter than lesser full moons of the year, according to Spaceweather.com.
Author: Robert Roy Britt
For more information and to read the complete article:
Wolf Moon, Article Aol Resource
This article claims there is no correlation between people and animal moods and the full moon. What do you think? We've been told that the moon affects the chemical balance in the brain and makes the unbalanced person or animal even more unbalanced or shall we say the crazies come out? Though Robert states this is myth. However, the tides are affected.
Hmmm...
More interesting information:
Space.com
Tomorrow I'm back on Byberry history and ghostly apparitions. Bet you can't wait:)
D~
Oh yes! Right up this sci-fi girl's alley! You are so right about how close this moon is and why.
ReplyDeleteAnd I do see differences in emotion during a full moon.
Too bad I live where the weather won't let me see it this time.
Nice pic for a cell phone! Glad you'll be able to enjoy this first full moon of the year in all its beauty!
Kaye
Howl how howlllllll!
ReplyDeleteLove it! Since moving out to the farm, I can appreciate the full moon even more because, although bright, the city lights do diminish the beauty. Now I can see it in all it's glory and I even called to my son, "Come here, look at the moon."
The full moon rising was AWESOME and I rose early enough to see it setting!
Can't wait to read more Ghost Tales! Woohoo. Or should that be How how howllllll? lol
Joni aka Ganfalf the White Wolf at WVU ;-)
The moon fascinates me in all of its phases, but there is something very beautiful and enchanting about the full moon.
ReplyDeleteHaving worked in retail, I can definitely see the changes in our customers and can usually guess the night of the full moon without ever looking at a calendar. With me personally, however, I feel calmer during the full moon. More at ease and relaxed. What does that say for my mental condition the rest of the month? Let's not go there. lol
I agree with Kaye. That cell phone pic isn't bad at all. :-)
Tricia
Hi Tricia and Joni.
ReplyDeleteOh the moon was absolutely gorgeous as it came up this evening as well. Had a real haunting quality tonight as the wisps of black clouds passed over its face.
Tricia,
I have to tell you that I agree. I revel in a beautiful shimmering full moon and never feel agitated although being in both retail and the medical fields throughout my working life, the moon does seriously agitate many.
And as far as our relaxed state during the moon phase, I'd just chalk it up feeling comfortable wit the moon goddess, *grin*
D~
Sorry I just changed back and only now could I comment. Hooowwwwwooollll!!
ReplyDelete