8-15-14 - “Perigee Paradox” - I didn’t want anyone to think that I didn’t almost forget to photograph the supermoon on August 10th. I took this photo at sunrise just before the super duper moon disappeared behind a thick bank of clouds on the horizon never to be seen again as a full moon until September 28, 2015. To be perfectly honest with you, I don’t recall perigee moons being called supermoons until fairly recently, and my eyes and brain can’t discern any difference between a supermoon and any other full moon. The moons perigee is when its orbit passes closest to the earth in any given month. Scientist generously call it a supermoon when a new or full moon occurs with the moon at or near (within 90% of) its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit. There were 5 supermoons in 2014. Two of them were new moons (also unusual because they were in the same month...last January) and the other three were the more exciting full moons. There are on an average 4 to 6 supermoons a year. But....there won’t be any supermoons in the year 2017. The term supermoon was first used about 30 years ago, but didn’t become popular until 2011 when it was used by the news media. I had to look that up...it was driving me crazy. LOL The supermoon on August 10th was the “super duper” moon this year...it was the closest to the earth. By the way...that second new moon in the same month last January...that is now called a Black Moon. Ha...no doubt...we do love our moon...as well we should....it’s a beauty!! Even though I don’t get all excited about these supermoons, I do like the fact that they seem to heighten interest in others. I am all for anything that would make someone get outside and look up at the sky rather than watch a flat screen inside. Mark this date down....The term “Super Duper Moon”, which is the full supermoon with the closest perigee to the earth in any given year, was first coined by Pelk on August 15th, 2014