Super moon illuminates the night

November 14, 2016

super-moon

The largest, brightest full moon in almost seven decades will be viewable to Central Coast residents for the next few days.

On Monday at 9:23 a.m., the moon passed within 216,486 miles of the earth making it appear 14 times larger and 30 percent brighter than usual. Even so, on Monday and Tuesday the difference in the size of the super moon will be minimal.

Super moons occur when the timing of a full moon coincides with the point in the moon’s 28-day orbit that is closest to Earth.

super-moon-2

Photographer Richard Bastin took the attached photos at approximately 6:40 p.m. on Sunday. The long anticipated oversized moon peeked over the eastern mountain ridge, in the northern portion of Atascadero.


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I thought I left a light on. Beautiful!


Maybe 30% brighter, but certainly not 14 times as large…maybe 14% bigger, which is a noticeable amount.


Yes, a moon 14 times as large would occupy half the sky!