The phenomenon, known as perigee or in layman’s term as ‘supermoon’, means the moon appears bigger by 14 percent and brighter by 30 percent than usual when it is farthest from the earth which is known as apogee.
The moon hit perigee or supermoon, when it is closest to Earth, when it will be just 356,400 kilometers (221,457 miles) away from the earth, compared to an average distance of around 384,000 kilometers (238,606 miles).
The Royal Astronomical Society’s Dr Robert Massey said the Moon’s size may be more obvious than its brightness.
“When the Moon is closest to the Earth and full or new, you get an increase in the tidal pull in the ocean because the gravity of the moon and the sun line up,” according to Dr. Massey.
Like any full moon, the supermoon looks bigger when it’s on or near the horizon rather than higher in the sky, due to an optical illusion.
Scientists have dismissed any myth or superstition that such an event can cause mental illness, strange behavior, drastic increase in crime rates and trigger natural disasters like tsunami, earthquake and volcanic eruption.
Nasa scientists and several researchers across the globe have proved that the super moon is just an astronomical treat which we can witness once a year.
