Super Moon 2012!!!

Super Moon 2012!!! Watch out for the biggest Moon of the year tonite and read on these facts....

The biggest full moon of the year is due to arrive Tonight. The moon will officially become full Saturday (May 5) at 11:35 p.m. EDT. And because this month's full moon coincides with the moon's perigee — its closest approach to Earth — it will also be the year's biggest.
The full moon seen in May has been given many names by the world’s cultures.The Chinese called it the dragon moon; the Choctaws called it the panther moon; the Cherokee called it the planting moon; the Celts called it the bright moon.
The setup for this weekend will have the moon some 14 percent larger than normal and 16 percent brighter than an average full moon.

Here are some more interesting facts and myths surrounding this supermoon!!

It will seem huge as it rises - Scientists don’t really know why, but the moon appears larger to us when it’s near the horizon. This moon illusion is in our minds, they say. You can prove it’s an illusion: Hold the eraser of a pencil, or some other small object, at arm’s length and compare it to the size of the moon as it rises. Do the same thing later in the evening when the moon is high up. You’ll measure no difference.

It won’t destroy Earth - The gravitational tug on Earth when the moon is closer, and when Earth, moon and sun are all aligned during the full moon, even a supermoon won’t break Earth. "Both the moon and sun do stress the Earth a tiny bit, and when we look hard we can see a very small increase in tectonic activity when they're aligned," explains John Vidale, a seismologist at the University of Washington in Seattle.

The supermoon will outshine a meteor shower -The annual Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks this weekend. But the supermoon will outshine all but the brightest shooting stars. Bright fireballs might still be visible.

Photos lie -If you see some full moon photos in which the moon seems to be many times its normal size, looming over a mountain or through the trees, that’s an effect of using a telephoto lens or a telescope.

The supermoon is getting a lot of hype, but in fact any full moon is worth a look — a chance to swoon with a loved one or just enjoy the beauty of the cosmos. And if you miss the event Saturday, check the moon out as it rises Sunday evening, a little after sunset. It will look almost nearly as full, and just about the same in size and brightness.