Giant 'Olive Moon' Shines in the Sky During October

Arab Weather - The next giant moon will be complete at 2:26 pm on Thursday, October 17, according to Jordan time. At this time, the full moon will be below the horizon. The full moon will rise at 5:56 pm on Thursday and set at 6:22 am on Friday. Its apparent path that night begins in Pisces and ends in Aries.

The supermoon, also known as a perigee moon, occurs when the full moon is "near" the perigee point in its orbit around the Earth (its closest point in the orbit), at a distance of 357,000 kilometers (compared to its average distance from the Earth of 384,000 kilometers). The moon's passage through the perigee point occurs at 3:47 a.m. on Thursday, about 10 hours and 39 minutes before it becomes full.

A supermoon is slightly larger and brighter than a regular full moon, about 7% larger than average and 15% brighter. But only experienced astronomers who observe full moons regularly can distinguish these differences.

The phenomenon of supermoons occurs several times a year. However, the largest supermoon (i.e. the closest to Earth) of the twenty-first century will occur on December 6, 2052. On that day, the full moon will be at 10:18 a.m. (Jordan time). The moon will pass through the perigee point at 11:55 a.m. that day, at a distance of 356,000 kilometers from Earth.

The October Super Moon has several names in different cultures, perhaps the most famous of which is the Hunter's Moon in Anglo-Saxon culture and according to the Native Americans of North America. It is also called by other names in other cultures, such as the Cedar Moon, the Fallen Leaf Moon, the Frost Moon, the Blood Moon (in reference to the practice of hunting and storing catch for the winter) or the Migratory Moon (when birds begin to migrate south to warmer climates).

The name Tishreen, the month of giving, is a Babylonian name that entered Arabic through Aramaic, and means beginning or commencement. We can call this giant full moon in our country the “ Olive Full Moon ” because it coincides with the olive harvest season and the traditional wedding that accompanies it in the region.

This is an opportunity for astronomical photography enthusiasts to document these beauties, especially at moonrise and sunset, when the moon takes on an orange color due to atmospheric physics, and is aligned with the horizon, appearing large due to its proximity to some terrestrial landmarks – this is called the “moon illusion.” The iconic image is beautiful if taken during this full moon, especially with the right backgrounds, such as scenic natural areas, tourist attractions, archaeological sites, and urban areas (between buildings and on top of minarets and other landmarks).

It is worth noting that the phenomenon of the supermoon has nothing to do with predicting or occurring earthquakes, as the latter occur mainly due to geophysical factors.