Moon Closer to Earth Than Ever Before?
Sunday August 3, 2008
In the About Astronomy and Space forum, JerseyMike asks:
"About 7 or 8 years ago, while in NJ, the moon was huge--bigger than normal. I read several years later that it was some astronomic event in which the moon was the closest to the Earth than it had been in decades (if not longer). Does anyone know what that event was and how I can learn more about it?"
Any help would be hugely appreciated."
I thought that perhaps there was some confusion with Mars being closest to Earth in 50,000 years. What do you think Mike saw?
Image Credit: NASA
Comments
The distance between the earth and moon was first established when radar had developed enough to give an accuate reading. The distance was established to within millimeters in the 1960’s when a lazer reflecting mirror (visible to this day…) was placed on the surface by astronauts. The moon looked larger because of the lens-like effect of the Earth’s atmosphere.
i found this weather tool ages ago called weather1 and in it is a program called moon tool (if you click on the moon it pops up) and it has the moons distance the suns distance and a bunch of other cool tools check it out