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Credit & Copyright: Luis Argerich
Explanation:
A Full Perigee Moon
rose as the Sun set last Sunday.
At its closest to Earth it was, by just a bit,
the year's brightest and largest Full Moon
also known as a Super Moon.
Seen from Punta Piedras, Argentina and the mouth of the Rio de La Plata,
near Buenos Aires,
the Super Moon's light created this magnificent
circular lunar
halo.
Still, the size of a lunar halo is determined by the geometry
of six sided water ice crystals in planet Earth's high, thin clouds.
The crystals
deflect the rays
of moonlight more strongly through a minimum angle of 22 degrees.
So this halo has an inner radius of 22 degrees, just like the halos
of the less-than-super moons.
Even more common than a Super Moon, beautiful 22 degree
halos can be spotted at any time of year.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Moon - perigee
Publications with words: Moon - perigee
See also: