Posted on 03/14/2011 4:20:31 PM PDT by TaraP
Japan's massive 8.9-magnitude earthquake and deadly tsunami in Japan generated world-wide viral headlines about the destructive environmental power of the upcoming "supermoon."
The term "supermoon" originated on the website of astrologer Richard Nolle who reported that a new or full moon at 90% or more of its closest perigee (the point in the orbit nearest to the center of the earth) qualifies as a "supermoon," making the March 19 full moon a supermoon, because the crest of the moon’s full phase comes within an hour of the moon’s closest point to Earth.
According to Dr. James Garvin, chief scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, a 'Supermoon' is a situation when the moon is slightly closer to Earth in its orbit than on average, and this effect is most noticeable when it occurs at the same time as a full moon. So, the moon may seem bigger although the difference in its distance from Earth is only a few percent at such times.
It is called a supermoon because this is a very noticeable alignment that at first glance would seem to have an effect. The 'super' in supermoon is really just the appearance of being closer, but unless we were measuring the Earth-Moon distance by laser rangefinders (as we do to track the LRO [Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter] spacecraft in low lunar orbit and to watch the Earth-Moon distance over years), there is really no difference.
The supermoon really attests to the wonderful new wealth of data NASA's LRO mission has returned for the Moon, making several key science questions about our nearest neighbor all the more important.
The effects on Earth from a supermoon are minor, and according to the most detailed studies by terrestrial seismologists and volcanologists, the combination of the moon being at its closest to Earth in its orbit, and being in its 'full moon' configuration (relative to the Earth and sun), should not affect the internal energy balance of the Earth since there are lunar tides every day. The Earth has stored a tremendous amount of internal energy within its thin outer shell or crust, and the small differences in the tidal forces exerted by the moon (and sun) are not enough to fundamentally overcome the much larger forces within the planet due to convection (and other aspects of the internal energy balance that drives plate tectonics). Nonetheless, these supermoon times remind us of the effect of our 'Africa-sized' nearest neighbor on our lives, affecting ocean tides and contributing to many cultural aspects of our lives (as a visible aspect of how our planet is part of the solar system and space).
But contrary to the widespread speculation, Japanese March 11 earthquake is not an example of a supermoon causing deadly environmental effects. The March 11 moon is exactly the opposite, since the moon is not particularly close to Earth, nor is it full or new moon (aligned with the sun and Earth). The moon on March 11 is close to first quarter--at a right angle to the Earth/sun line. Thus--according to the supermoon-earthquake connection theory--the moon’s effect on earthly water and solid rock tides should be at its least.
Ping.
Won’t matter. People will have driven themselves half over the edge with paranoia by then.
Perigee happens every month and it a full moon is a purely visual effect
The last “supermoon” was in 1993 and I don’t recall any earthshaking disasters then other than the Clinton Administration.
The Storm of the Century, also known as the ’93 Superstorm, or the (Great) Blizzard of 1993, was a large cyclonic storm that occurred on March 12–13, 1993, on the East Coast of North America. It is unique for its intensity, massive size and wide-reaching effect.
At its height the storm stretched from Canada towards Central America, but its main impact was on the Eastern United States and Cuba. The cyclone moved through the Gulf of Mexico, and then through the Eastern United States before moving into Canada. Areas as far south as central Alabama and Georgia received 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) of snow and areas such as Birmingham, Alabama, received up to 12 inches (30 cm) with isolated reports of 16 inches (41 cm).
Even the Florida Panhandle reported up to 4 inches (10 cm)[2], with hurricane-force wind gusts and record low barometric pressures. Between Louisiana and Cuba, hurricane-force winds produced high storm surges across northwestern Florida, which along with scattered tornadoes killed dozens of people. Record cold temperatures were seen across portions of the South and East in the wake of this storm. In the United States, the storm was responsible for 300 deaths and the loss of electric power to over 10 million customers.....................
Moonageddon: on March 19, our nearest neighbour will be at its closest since 1993
On March 19, the moon will be just 356,577km away from Earth, an event that has internet theorists a-quiver with the possibility of extreme weather, earthquakes and volcanoes.
Answer: No.
Comment: However, there will be an aftershock from the prior 9.0 Japanese quake and the proponents of this goofy theory will use that aftershock to claim their theory is confirmed. Non Causa Pro Causa.
March 1993 we had the *Storm of the Century*
And what is their theory again? Best I can understand they're saying that because the moon will be at perigee and simultaneously a full moon that all hell breaks loose?
Cripplecreek notes that a full moon is a purely visual effect, or is it? It does say that the moon is in complete opposition to the sun, also, fwiw. I doubt that's really much different tidally/geomagically....but hey....ask the Puppeteers....
On March 11 the Moon was actually closer to apogee than perigee.
D’oh!
Did the Supermoon of 1993 have any effect of the Great Blizzard of 1993?
On Friday, March 12,1993 a cluster of powerful thunderstorms formed in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, and then merged with a narrow band of snow and rain that was pushing in from the West Coast. The two storm systems collided with the jet stream, and by 7 p.m. they began screaming across the Gulf toward Florida, pushing a large storm surge ahead of their path.
“The sea conditions were absolutely incredible, unbelievable,” Coast Guard Petty Officer Rob Wyman told the Washington Post. “It looked like a big washing machine. There were huge waves and spray and hail.” The sea was so powerful that the 200-ft. freighter Fantastico sunk 70 miles off Ft. Myers, Fla.
Three people were rescued from the 50-mph winds and 30-ft. swells, but seven crew members died when Coast Guard helicopters ran low on fuel and had to return to base. “They were just getting the hell beat out of them,” Wyman said. “I felt for them. They were just holding on, either too weak to grab the basket or too scared to grab it ... We were so close, so close to getting these guys, and we did absolutely everything we could. And we couldn’t get them.”
Ten miles from Key West, the 147-ft. freighter Miss Beholding, hauling M&Ms and candy bars, ran aground on a coral reef. Several charter fishing vessels and sailboats sank in deeper seas. By the time the Superstorm had passed, the Coast Guard had deployed more than a hundred planes, helicopters and boats, rescuing 235 people on more than a hundred boats in the Gulf of Mexico.
We have the “Storm of the Century” somewhere every year! :-)
Um, no.
Um, no.
Um, no.
Sorry for the triple...
NO what?
That’s true!
The Storm of the Century in 1993 is almost a daily occurence since the Millenium....
God’s will be done in Jesus name..prepare us to meet you..
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