Until Next Time, Luna!

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie… well, you probably just witnessed the Moon at its perigee. And it most certainly was amore, at least to people such as myself. For those unaware, the full Moon which occurred just this past weekend was and will be the largest moon of 2009. Because of the Moon’s elliptical orbit around the Earth, its angular size is dependent on how close the Moon is to our planet. A few days ago marked our Moon’s perigee, or closest approach. The Wolf Moon — the name given to January’s full moon by the Native Americans — was about 15 percent larger in area and brightness than a typical full Moon. Unfortunately, due to unfavorable weather conditions, I was unable to witness such a memorable event directly. I did, however, get the chance to see the waning Moon last night as I looked up at the night sky. Despite being a few days late, the Moon was still a spectacular sight to see. Not surprisingly, the Astronomy Picture of the Day featured a wonderful portrayal of this past full Moon which I felt compelled to share. I hope you enjoy!

Largest Full Moon of 2009