Rare ‘giant moon’ phenomenon witnessed by people in Muscat

Muscat: People who were outdoors after about 7pm yesterday were able to witness a rather rare phenomenon that occurs only twice a year: A reddish-orange moon that is significantly larger than the one we are used to seeing in the night sky.

“The moon appeared to be about 15 percent larger than it normally is, with an increased brightness of about 30 percent when it is at its farthest point,” said Salem Al Farsi, a member of the Oman Astronomical Society.

“The moon was a reddish or orange colour, as a result of dust and other particulate matter in the Earth’s atmosphere, which scattered the white light reflecting off them, resulting in the scattering of colours beyond the blue spectrum,” he added.

Although the moon took on a reddish-orange hue while it rose, it changed to a more familiar silvery-white once it settled in the skies above.

“The best time to observe yesterday’s phenomenon was during moonrise, at 7:06pm, where it could be compared with the surrounding atmosphere, enabling people to witness the difference in its size and brightness,” added Al Farsi. “This difference is difficult to see once the moon travels to the higher reaches of the sky.”

This so-called ‘giant moon’ phenomenon occurs when the moon is full, and is located to the closest point on its orbit around the Earth. The moon revolves around Earth on an elliptical orbit, which results in changes in the distances between both celestial bodies every month.