Year’s brightest Full Moon to appear on Thursday

Mumbai, Oct 25: Sky gazers can enjoy the ‘biggest and brightest’ full moon of this year on Thursday and Friday due to its closeness to Earth. “This week’s full moon (Oct 25/26) will be biggest full moon of 2007,” NASA experts said.

The event coincides with the China’s lunar spacecraft Chang’e-1 (Moon Goddess) reaching the Moon which will give three-dimensional pictures of the Moon’s surface once it starts orbiting around it. 

Experts cautioned against viewing the full moon through telescope without an appropriate filter as it would affect the eyes. “Some full Moons are larger than others. Thursday’s will be 14% wider and 30% brighter than other full moons we’ve seen this year,” said www.spaceweather.com, a NASA website on Wednesday. 

Director of Maharashtrabased Akashganga Centre for Astronomy, Bharat Adur said, usually the full moon is positioned southward during this time of year (October to December). On Thursday/Friday, while observing from the equatorial regions, the Moon will appear to be much brighter. 

“The Moon’s orbit is an ellipse with one side 48,000 km closer to Earth than the other. The full moon on Oct 25-26 is on the near side, making it brighter than other full moons seen in 2007,’’ he said.