What is the ‘Supermoon’?

It is only since the ‘supermoon’ was linked with the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan that it has become of public interest. Before this, the term was ‘Perigean New Moon’ an event that occurs when the moon is at its closest point to the earths orbit (making it 50,000 km closer to earth) coinciding with a full moon, making the moon appear much larger and brighter.

Supermoons cause larger tides of up to an inch, which may not seem much, but when overlapped with extreme weather events can lead to floods. This week has seen Wales issued with three flood alerts – the Carmarthenshire Coast, the Usk Estuary and the Wye
Estuary. Could the supermoon on 8th of September have been an input?

Supermoons are followed by ‘King Tides’ (or Perigean Spring tides) where there is an increase in the gravitational pull the moon has on the earths tides due to its closer proximity. However, experts say this is no cause for concern as it is a natural phenomena that has always occurred.

Unfortunately, the supermoon on the 8th of September will be the final supermoon of this year, although, it is an annual occurrence and we can get our binoculars and cameras ready to see the next supermoon in September 2015.