# 2012 Supermoon Is Saturday 05 May 2012

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-supermoon-is-saturday-05-may-2012/620603>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [May 2, 2012, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-supermoon-is-saturday-05-may-2012/620603 "2012-05-02T03:57:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-supermoon-is-saturday-05-may-2012/620603/1 "2012-05-02T03:57:27Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Skywatchers take note: The biggest full moon of the year is due to arrive this weekend. The moon will officially become full Saturday (May 5) at 11:35 p.m. EDT. And because this month’s full moon coincides with the moon’s perigee — its closest approach to Earth — it will also be the year’s biggest.

['Supermoon' Alert: Biggest Full Moon of 2012 Occurs This Week | Space](http://www.space.com/15474-supermoon-full-moon-2012.html)

> [@](#):
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> Get ready for the moon’s most prominent, spectacular appearance of the year. On Saturday night at 11:34 p.m. eastern, the moon becomes full on its closest approach to Earth. This coincidence makes this moon a “Supermoon.”
> 
> The moon is reaching what’s known as its “perigee”, the closest approach to earth in its orbit - a mere 221,802 miles away. It will appear 16 percent brighter than the average full moon. Compared to when it’s on the “apogee” side of its orbit, farthest away from earth, it will be 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter.

[http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/supermoon-saturday-the-biggest-brightest-moon-of-2012/2012/05/01/gIQAZnohuT\_blog.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/supermoon-saturday-the-biggest-brightest-moon-of-2012/2012/05/01/gIQAZnohuT_blog.html)

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**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-supermoon-is-saturday-05-may-2012/620603/2 "2012-05-02T05:37:03Z")

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Will I need two hands to pinch it between my fingers!?

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**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2012-supermoon-is-saturday-05-may-2012/620603/3 "2012-05-02T12:03:05Z")

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Too bad it doesn’t coincide with the annual “Mars Spectacular” that we get emails about every year around this time, stating that Mars will appear in August to be the same size as the moon and that nobody alive will ever see it again.