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Sky lit up by stunning supermoon

The moon had passed the Earth at a distance of 3,56,511 km the closest it has passed the Earth since 1948.

Chennai: The brightest supermoon in more than 68 years lit up the sky on Monday as astronomers and enthusiasts observed this stunning natural phenomenon. Many sky gazers took to high-rise buildings, open places and beaches to get a glimpse of the closest supermoon to Earth and click pictures.

“The supermoon looked very bright even to the naked eye. We made arrangements to public to witness the moon on the telescopes. Around 700 people came to our centre to see the supermoon on Monday,” P.Iyamperumal, executive director, Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Centre.

The moon had passed the Earth at a distance of 3,56,511 km – the closest it has passed the Earth since 1948. The scientists say there won’ t be another supermoon like this till 2034.

The perigee full moon or supermoon can be 30 per cent brighter and 14 per cent bigger than an apogee full moon. T.Jayamurugan, state resource person for astronomy, Tamil Nadu Science Forum, Salem said, “It’s rare opportunity to see the moon very close. So, we provided three telescopes to the people to watch the moon.” Along with sky watching, he also educated people about the celestial events and dispelling the superstitions.

IT employee and passionate moon watcher Surendar Ramakrishnan said, “I have been waiting to watch the supermoon on Monday. It was so beautiful that I just stopped riding my vehicle at an elevation near the parking lot. The sight of the complete moon made my ride back home a pleasant experience.”

S.Parthasarathy, an amateur astronomer, said, “It is very hard to spot the comparative difference between supermoons. But it is the maximum brightness that the moon can have.”

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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