HOLT, Fla., Dec. 31, 2017–Mother Nature is kicking off the New Year with a supermoon spectacular Jan. 1.
This is predicted to be the largest supermoon of the year. A repeat performance will be the second full moon Jan. 31, also known as a “blue moon.”
The Jan. 1 Wolf Moon will appear larger than normal just after moonrise–as much as 14 percent larger. Once it starts moving across the sky, it’ll appear as a normal full moon.
This moon will also shine up to 30 percent brighter.
While the Moon may look full for one-to-three days, it’s never 100 percent full until the sun, moon and earth are perfectly aligned. That results in a lunar eclipse, which actually happens this Jan. 31.
A supermoon happens when the moon is at perigree during its full phase–a point in its orbit when it’s closest to the Earth.
And because it’s winter, supermoons are more super, or bigger. Because the Earth is at its closest point to the Sun, the Sun’s gravity pulls the Moon closer to the Earth, contributing to the apparent enlarged size.
Unfortunately, the weather in this area may work against enjoying the supermoon. The forecast is for partly cloudy skies and 34 degrees with 11 mph wind, making the wind chill around 27 degrees.