Lane Cove it’s time to get ready for an amazing event. On Monday night (14th November) you will be able to see a Supermoon. The moon will be the closest is has been to earth in 68 years. Now before you panic, it is still quite far away, but it’s about 30,000 kms closer than average. On Monday night the Moon will look huge and will seem bigger and brighter than it normally does.
When Should I View the Supermoon?
Here are some fascinating facts about the Supermoon from Dr Alan Duffy (who really does not look like an astronomer – check him out).
To get the best experience make sure you have a clear view to the eastern horizon from just before sunset to watch the Moon rise (in Lane Cove this will be at 7.07pm). The Moon is not in a perfectly circular orbit around the Earth, instead it’s slightly squashed (known as an elliptical orbit) bringing it up to 50,000km closer than when farthest away. As the Moon is closer it will appear 15 per cent bigger and 30 per cent brighter than a typical Full Moon. This will make for a strikingly bright experience, but the real secret is to catch the Moon just as it rises.
Make sure you look for the Supermoon as the moon won’t be this close again until 2034.
Snap the Supermoon
Now we know that Lane Cove is going to go crazy photographing the moon and we would love to see your pictures – you can Email them to us or post them to our Facebook page or tag us in on your Instagram account (@inthecove). If you want a stunning photo, Australian Geographic suggests that the best Supermoon pictures are taken the days before or after the full supermoon. Check out Australian Geographic tips for snapping the best picture.
The Supermoon Might Make You Moody
We would not have known about the Supermoon, except for the fact that we received an email from Yogabowl. Mitch from Yogabowl pointed out that during a full moon we may often feel unsettled, more emotional, mentally cluttered, sleepless and ungrounded. She suggests that if you feel like during the Supermoon and full moon phase adopt a mindful practice that suits you. You can, for example, take a Yoga class, walk barefoot in nature, garden, cook, pat a pet, eat slowly and mindfully or slow down and connect with your breath. If you are interested in Mindfulness, keep checking out Yogabowl’s website as they will have mindfulness courses in the new year.
Soulful Fitness also has a workshop this week that might help you feel grounded – you can check it out here.
Star Gazing in Lane Cove
If you are really into star-gazing you may want to join the Northern Sydney Astronomical Society which is based in Lane Cove. Once a month (at 7:30pm on the third Tuesday of the month) they meet at Regis Hall in the grounds of St Ignatius’ College, Riverview Street, Riverview (Lane Cove) (click here for a map). This meeting focuses on the theoretical aspects of astronomy, each month featuring a guest lecturer, and touching on subjects such as cosmology and astrophysics.
The Society also caters for new Astronomers. The New Astronomers Group is a seven-month course, held on the fourth Tuesday of the month at Regis Hall in the grounds of St Ignatius’ College, Riverview Street, Riverview (Lane Cove) (click here for a map). It’s a great place for people who have recently purchased or plan to purchase a telescope and would like to learn how to use it. The group also caters for those who have had their telescopes for a while and are interested in talks and presentations on the latest updates in astronomy. Topics include star-hopping the night sky, learning to use your telescope more effectively, astrophotography and other practical areas of astronomy. See here for details.
Details
Facebook: Northern Sydney Astronomical Society
Website: Northern Sydney Astronomical Society Website
Phone: 0423 971 374
Do you have a local issue you would like help with? ITC is here to help just email us at [email protected]
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