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The sky is once again filled with wonder as November introduces a breathtaking astronomical event, a supermoon. This amazing sight happens when the full moon lines up with the point in its orbit where it is closest to Earth, known as perigee. The outcome is a Moon that appears significantly larger and brighter than usual, providing a beautiful experience for those looking at the sky across the globe. A supermoon is not something unusual; it is a common celestial occurrence related to the Moon’s path around Earth. The Moon orbits Earth in an oval route, varying its distance from about 360,000 kilometers to 400,000 kilometers away. When a full moon happens around the time of perigee, it can look up to 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter compared to when it is further away at apogee, the stage in the orbit when the Moon is the farthest from Earth.

The phrase “supermoon” was created by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979, but it is now widely recognized by both hobbyist and professional stargazers. In scientific terms, this event is called a perigee-syzygy moon, which refers to the straight line formed by the Sun, Earth, and Moon during this occurrence. As the Moon gets closer to Earth, the sunlight reflects more strongly off of it, making the Moon shine more brilliantly and stand out in the night sky. This supermoon in November will captivate those watching with its bright light and larger-than-usual size, providing a unique chance to see the closest full moon this year. Besides their visual appeal, supermoons also affect the tides on Earth, creating higher high tides and lower low tides, although these changes depend on local geography and the phases of the Moon.

For everyone, from casual observers to astronomy lovers, the supermoon in November offers a night filled with marvel and amazement, a wonderful reminder of the lively celestial motions happening above us. Remember to look up and enjoy this stunning lunar event brightening the November sky.