If you think the full moon tonight (or tomorrow night) looks larger than usual, you are right. The full moon this October - called the Hunter's Moon - is the largest moon of 2007. The October full moon will be about 50,000 kilometers - or 30,000 miles - closer than 2007's smallest moon, in April. Right now, the moon is at its perigee, or closest point to earth.
When the moon being at perigee coincides with a full moon, the result is a bright, giant heavenly orb. It is expected to look about 14% wider and about 1/3 brighter than the average full moon!
Both my calendar at home and at work say the full moon is tomorrow. However, one site I looked at (http://www.earthsky.org/) says the full moon will occur right about midnight tonight (12:52 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, 11:52 A.M. Central Standard Time).
The moon will rise in the East tonight, be highest in the sky around midnight, and set in the West around sunrise tomorrow morning. I hope I am more observant than I was this morning. When I got to work, Gloria, my co-worker, asked, "Did you see that big, beautiful moon when you were driving over here this morning?"
"Uhh, no I didn't." My gosh, where was my mind? I remember admiring the river - maybe my eyes were cast down rather than up. But tomorrow morning, I will be gazing skyward. However, in case the weather turns cloudy, I had better go out tonight and check out the moon.
In fact, I think tonight's a Marvelous Night for a Moondance. Will you come join me?
Well, it's a marvelous night for a Moondance
With the stars up above in your eyes
A fantabulous night to make romance
'Neath the cover of October skies
And all the leaves on the trees are falling
To the sound of the breezes that blow
And I'm trying to please to the calling
Of your heart-strings that play soft and low
And all the night's magic seems to whisper and hush
And all the soft moonlight seems to shine in your blush
Van Morrison, Moondance
