Astronomy enthusiasts will be in heaven. On the night of Thursday August 11 to Friday August 12, the sky will have surprises in store that may delight the most courageous. At 3:36 a.m. precisely, it will be possible to observe the last supermoon of the year.
It will therefore appear larger by around 17% and brighter by 30%. This phenomenon is explained by the Earth-Moon distance which is shorter at that time. Indeed, it was this Wednesday August 10 around 7 p.m. that perigee, the shortest distance (356,500km), was reached.
In the columns of Le Parisien, NASA explains that the super Moon “is not an official astronomical term, but it is generally used to describe a full Moon which is located at least 90% from perigee”.
This night will not only be marked by the supermoon. Indeed, if it will still dominate the sky, another phenomenon will occur, the Perseids.
This event is quite famous and returns every year between July and August. It corresponds to the moment when the Earth passes through a field of dust left by the Swift-Tuttle comet.
These showers of shooting stars are always very popular with astronomy enthusiasts or those who wish to contemplate the beauty of a starry sky. The brightness of the super Moon will make the Perseids less visible, but the spectacle should still be there.