Thursday 25 / April / 2024
Muscat: Stargazers have been blessed with a clear sky tonight to watch the biggest Supermoon in decades, an official from Oman Astronomical Society said.
“Climate is perfect and as sky is not cloudy in Oman, stargazers can watch Supermoon without the help of a telescope. They just have to move to a less light polluted area,” Mohammed Yahya Salim Al Hajiry, a member for OAS, said.
This evening, the moon will be the closest it has been to Earth since 1948 and if you miss it, then have to wait till November 25, 2034.
On the occasion of the Supermoon tonight, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort will be holding a special stargazing night on Diana’s Point for guests where they can see the moon in all its glory.
‘Diana’s Point’, the most famous viewpoint on Al Jabal Al Akhdar is situated in the heart of the resort, some 2,000 metres above sea level.
According to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), during the event, the Moon will appear up to 14 per cent bigger and 30 percent brighter than an average full moon.
However it's not always easy to tell the difference. A 30 per cent difference in brightness can easily be masked by clouds or the competing glare of urban lights.
“On November 14, it becomes full, arguably making it an extra-super moon,” NASA adds.
On November 14, the Moon will be 356,509 km closer to Earth.
According to EarthSky.org the moon turns precisely full on November 14, 2016 at 1352 UTC (Oman local time 7pm).
“This full moon instant will happen in the morning hours before sunrise in western North America and the Pacific islands (to the east of the International Date Line). But no matter. The moon will look plenty full and bright all night long on both nights – November 13 and 14 – as it rises in the east around sunset, climbs highest up around midnight, and then sets in the west,” the EarthSky.org adds.
