Today the full moon, the biggest “supermoon” in 2024 – Weather News

2024/10/17 07:16 Weather News

Today, October 17 (Thursday), there is a full moon. Because it will be the closest full moon to Earth in 2024, it is called a “supermoon” because it is the largest full moon this year.

In the American agricultural calendar, the October full moon is also known as the “Hunter’s Moon”.

The closest full moon to Earth this year

2024 Differences in the Length of the Moon

Of the full moons that can be seen 12 to 13 times a year, the one that is most often seen is called a “supermoon”.

According to the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, the apparent diameter appears to be about 14% larger than the smallest full moon this year (February 24). However, it’s hard to get a true sense of how big it is unless you compare it to photos.

▼ Sunset and sunrise in different places
Nemuro Sunset 16:31 Moonrise 16:16
Sendai Sunset 16:55 Moonrise 16:41
Tokyo Sunset 17:03 Moonrise 16:49
Osaka Sunset 17:20 Moonrise 17:07
Fukuoka Sunset 17:42 Moonrise 17:29
Naha Sunset 17:59 Moonrise 17:47

What is mass peat?

First of all, supermoon is an astrological term, not an astronomical term, and there is no clear definition. The website of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), one of the NASA research institutes that spread this word, says that when the Earth and the moon are close together, the full moon appears larger and brighter than the average moon full , this is called a supermoon.

Even on the NASA website, there is no clear definition of a full moon when the distance between the Earth and the Moon is less than ◯ km, but based on past trends, a full moon when the distance between the Moon and the Earth is smaller. than 360,000 km is considered a supermoon It seems that it is.

Note that the moon may appear larger when it has just risen, but this is a type of illusion that occurs because it allows for comparison with the surrounding features. Actually, the moon is Earth’s radius (about 6,000 km) closer to Earth when it is directly overhead than when it is just rising, so it should appear larger when it is just above.

What is the good weather?

Northern Japan is covered in high pressure, and the moon is expected to be visible in many areas. It all gets cold at the same time when the sun goes down, so be sure to take precautions against the cold and enjoy the month.

Sunny skies are also expected in Okinawa. The nights are also quite warm, so you can probably watch the moon outside without worrying about the cold.

Although clouds tend to spread from northern Kanto, Hokuriku to northern Kyushu, there is a good chance you will see the moon through the clouds. Try to capture the moment when the clouds part.

On the other hand, cloudy skies are expected in southern Kanto, the Tokai region, and the Pacific side of western Japan, making it difficult to see the moon.
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The full moon of October, “Hunter’s Moon” in English

How to call the full moon in the agricultural calendar

In order to understand the seasons, Native Americans gave the full moon of each month a variety of names, such as animals, plants, and seasonal events.

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the full moon in October in the United States is known as the “Hunter’s Moon”.

It is said that the name was given because October is the time when the hunt begins. Although the moon is the same round, you can feel the sense of the seasons.
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Review of the phenomenon: What is the full moon?

Positional relationship between the sun, the moon and the earth

You can calculate when the moon will be full based on the relative positions of the sun, earth and moon.

Seen from Earth, the moment when the difference between the direction of the sun and the direction of the moon (difference of ecliptic longitude) is 0 degrees is a new moon, the moment when it is 90 degrees is a waxing moon (half moon), and the moment. when it is 180 degrees it is a full moon, the 270 degree moment is defined as the waning moon (half moon), and it completes one revolution in a month.

In other words, a full moon is the moment when the sun and moon line up in nearly opposite directions when viewed from earth (the moment when the sun, earth and moon, in that order, are up almost in a straight line) .

Because of this change in positional relationship, the part of the moon exposed to sunlight changes when viewed from Earth, causing the waxing and waning phases of the moon to change, such as the crescent moon, the moon in the first quarter, the full moon, and the last moon. quarter moon.

Source/Reference
Old Farmers’ Almanac
National Astronomical Observatory of Japan “Star Sky Information” https://www.nao.ac.jp/astro/sky/
Astro Arts “Starry Sky Guide”

Reference materials etc.