The sky witnesses the full moon of Rabi' al-Akhir this evening

2024-10-17 2024-10-17T09:32:27Z

Arab Weather - The sky of the Arab world will witness today the full moon of Rabi' al-Thani, which is the third giant full moon of 2024 and the closest to Earth, as it will be visible throughout the night.

Supermoon full date

Engineer Majed Abu Zahra, head of the Jeddah Astronomical Society, explained that the term “supermoon” is used when the full moon is less than 362,146 km away from Earth. It is scientifically known as “perigee moon” because it occurs when the moon reaches its closest point to Earth. However, people find the term “supermoon” more attractive, although it may leave the incorrect impression that the moon will appear much larger. In fact, a supermoon does not appear larger than a regular full moon to the naked eye.

The supermoon will be full at 02:26 PM Mecca time, and will be 357,367 km away from Earth, after completing half of its monthly orbit around our planet.

Supermoon Rise and Appearance

The supermoon will rise as the sun sets over the northeastern horizon, appearing orange at first due to the effects of atmospheric components that scatter white light reflected from the moon, dispersing blue colors and leaving red colors. As it rises in the sky, its color will return to its usual silvery white.

Abu Zahra pointed out that the supermoon will appear 14% larger and 30% brighter than when it is at its farthest point from Earth (apogee). When compared to most full moons, this supermoon will appear 7% larger and 15% brighter. Despite these differences, the differences will not be very significant for the average viewer.

The effect of the giant moon on the Earth

Abu Zahra confirmed that the giant moon will not affect the safety of the Earth except for its effect on the tidal phenomena. When the full moon is full, the Earth, the moon and the sun are aligned, which leads to an exceptionally high tide, which is known as the "perigee high tide" phenomenon. Although the giant moon has a greater effect on this phenomenon, it will not affect the internal energy balance of our planet, and therefore no unusual geological activity or abnormal weather conditions are expected.