What is a Supermoon?

It's AumSum Time. What is a Supermoon? He is a friend of Superman. We three are best friends. Oh AumSum. Supermoon is a full or new moon that nearly coincides with perigee. Perigee is the moon's closest point to earth in its monthly orbit. This results in a moon which appears larger than its usual size when observed from earth. The technical name for the same is perigee-syzygee. As in, roughly straight-lined configuration of earth, moon and the sun. Some important information about supermoon. The term supermoon is attributed to astrologer Richard Knoll. Out of the possible 12 or 13 full or new moons each year. Usually 3 or 4 may be classified as supermoons. Supermoons do not cause natural disasters like earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. Supermoons can cause larger than usual perigee and spring tides. These tides are a few inches bigger than normal tides. Topic. Lunar Eclipse. Why does the moon turn red? To scare us. No. Moon does not have light of its own. Why? Didn't he pay the electricity bills? Please listen. Sunlight or white light is a mixture of visible colors. Now, when the sunlight falls on the moon, it reflects all these visible colors equally. Making the moon to mostly appear white. However, during a lunar eclipse when the earth is exactly between the sun and the moon. The moon appears red. This happens because of the earth's atmosphere. When the sunlight coming from the sun passes through the earth's atmosphere. The earth's atmosphere scatters the colors of the sunlight having shorter wavelengths. However, red color which has the longest wavelength is least scattered. Hence, it makes its way to the moon, making it look red. Why do we see only one side of the moon? Because the other side is shy. No. Our moon takes about 27 days to rotate around its own axis. And 27.3 days to revolve around the earth. This means the moon rotates around its axis. At almost the same rate or speed as it revolves around the earth. Hence, the same side of the moon is constantly facing the earth. Making us see only one or same side of the moon. However, if the moon did not rotate on its axis. Then we could see the other side of the moon. We would also see the other side if the moon rotated in 13.5 days. That is, it made two rotations in one revolution. But, this is not the case. However, an interesting fact is that due to the elliptical orbit of the moon. We can see almost 59% of the moon's surface. Topic. Gravitational force. Why do you weigh less on the moon? Hey. What are you doing? It is not possible. You cannot fly on earth. Please listen. Look. I had warned you. Now, why don't you try the same activity on the moon? There you will weigh much less and thus, you can fly short distances. See. I was correct. Do you know why you weighed less on the moon? To understand this, we need to first learn about weight. No. Not those weights. Weight is the force with which an object is pulled towards the center of the earth. Or any other celestial body. This force is called the gravitational force. Greater the gravitational force exerted by the celestial body. More will be the weight of an object present on it. So, does this mean that the moon exerts less gravitational force than the earth? Bingo. You are right. But do you know why? This is because gravitational force is directly proportional to the mass of an object. Greater the mass, greater will be the gravitational force exerted by it and thus. More will be our weight. As the moon has lesser mass than the earth. It has a weaker gravitational pull and hence, we weigh less on the moon.