Monday, January 13, 2025
2025: From "Mini" Moons to "Super" Moons, a year of full Moons
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A year of full Moons showing the variation in size as the moons move from perigee to apogee. I also show the apogee and perigee First Quarter Moons and the dates and times you can see the Lunar X and V. All the moons are shown on the day and time they are full (unless they are below the horizon, in which case the size at astronomical twilight is shown and the time of actual full moon is shown as well), and although this is not the optimal time for size comparisons, you can clearly see the size difference over the year (compare Apr 13 to Nov 5) the original scale for all is 2 degrees of field of view cropped down). Although the field rotation of the Moon makes it less clear, you can also see the effect of libration (January 3 vs May 13)
In 2025 we have two good Perigee Moons in a row (November 5, December 5). However, as you can see the differences are subtle, and it requires a keen eye and good memory to distinguish a perigee "super" Moon from more ordinary moons, the best contrast is with the apogee "mini" moon of April 13, even though this is not a good apogee Moon.
That doesn't mean you shouldn't try though. Daniel Fischer has been able to see the difference, you can read his account and viewing tips here:
http://earthsky.org/space/can-you-discern-supermoons-large-size-with-the-eye-an-observer-says-yes
Photographing them can be more rewarding. You can see images of perigee Moon and apogee Moon pairs from 21 Jan 2019 here and 10 August 2014 here.Tips for photographing them are here.
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| Full Moon January 14, 08:57 ACDST (Moon below horizon, moon at 21:36 shown). | Full Moon February 13, 0:23 ACDST | Full Moon March 14, 17:43 ACDST, Moon below horizon (moon at 21:00 ACDST shown) |
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| Full Moon April 13, 09:52 ACST FM9:30 (Moon below horizon, moon at 19:18 shown). Apogee at 08:00 14 April +22hs. | Full Moon May, 13 02:26 ACST | Full Moon June 11 17:25 ACST (Moon is just rising) |
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| Full Moon July 11 06:07 ACST. | Full Moon August 09 17:25 ACST (Moon below horizon, moon at 20:06 ACST shown). | Full Moon September 8 039 ACST (Moon shown at 3:31 ACST as totality is starting) |
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| Full Moon October 07 14:17 ACDST (Moon below horizon, Moon at 20:50 ACDST shown) | Full Moon November 05 23:49 ACDST ( Perigee, 6th 09:30 ACDST +9h) | Full Moon December 05 9:44 ACDST ( Perigee, 4th 21:37 ACDST +12h) |
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| First Quarter perigee moon at 22:18 ACDST on January 7. Actual First Quarter is midnight on the 7th and perigee is midnight on the 8th (a 24 hour difference). | First Quarter apogee moon at 23:11 ACST on August 1 at actual First Quarter, apogee is 6 am on the 2nd (an ~7 hour difference). The size difference will be clear in telescopes. | First Quarter Moon at 20:43 ACDST )10:13 UT) on January 7 the inset shows the Lunar X (top) and Lunar V (bottom), the dates and times that the Lunar X can be seen are shown in the table below |
Dates and time Lunar X and V are visible. Typically visible from about 4hours from the starting time, times in colour are daylight saving times.
| Date | UT | AEST | ACST | AWST |
| Feb 5 | 08:13 | 21:13 | 20:43 | 16:13 |
| Apr 5 | 12:43 | 22:43 | 22:17 | 20:43 |
| June 3 | 13:18 | 23:18 | 22:30 | 21:18 |
| Aug 1 | 10:57 | 20:57 | 20:17 | 18:57 |
| Sep 29 | 08:46 | 18:46 | 18:16 | 16:46 |
| Nov 27 | 10:43 | 21:43 | 21:15 | 18:43 |
A year of full Moons showing the variation in size as the moons move from perigee to apogee. I also show the apogee and perigee First Quarter Moons and the dates and times you can see the Lunar X and V. All the moons are shown on the day and time they are full (unless they are below the horizon, in which case the size at astronomical twilight is shown and the time of actual full moon is shown as well), and although this is not the optimal time for size comparisons, you can clearly see the size difference over the year (compare Apr 13 to Nov 5) the original scale for all is 2 degrees of field of view cropped down). Although the field rotation of the Moon makes it less clear, you can also see the effect of libration (January 3 vs May 13)
In 2025 we have two good Perigee Moons in a row (November 5, December 5). However, as you can see the differences are subtle, and it requires a keen eye and good memory to distinguish a perigee "super" Moon from more ordinary moons, the best contrast is with the apogee "mini" moon of April 13, even though this is not a good apogee Moon.
That doesn't mean you shouldn't try though. Daniel Fischer has been able to see the difference, you can read his account and viewing tips here:
http://earthsky.org/space/can-you-discern-supermoons-large-size-with-the-eye-an-observer-says-yes
Photographing them can be more rewarding. You can see images of perigee Moon and apogee Moon pairs from 21 Jan 2019 here and 10 August 2014 here.Tips for photographing them are here.
There is also a nice Total Lunar Eclipse on Monday September 8 in the early morning, so you will have to disturb your sleep to see it.
Labels: apogee, Moon, perigee, public outreach, Yearly Moons
# posted by Ian Musgrave @ 6:21 pm 
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