Super Moon May 5, 2012

A supermoon is the coincidence of a full moon or a new moon with the closest approach the Moon makes to the Earth, resulting in the largest apparent size of the moon's disk as seen from Earth. This results in a moon that is 14% larger (closer) and 30% brighter than other full moons of 2012.

 The scientific term for the phenomenon is "perigee moon." Full Moons vary in size because of the oval shape of the Moon's orbit. The Moon follows an elliptical path around Earth with one side ("perigee") about 50,000 km closer than the other ("apogee"). Full Moons that occur on the perigee side of the Moon's orbit seem extra big and bright.