BANGKOK: The full moon will reach its farthest point from Earth on Sunday (April 13) night, coinciding with the Thai New Year festival, Songkran.
The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand’s director of astronomy outreach and public engagement expertise, Suparerk Karuehanon, said that stargazers will be able to observe this phenomenon, known as a 'Micro Full Moon', on Sunday from around 6.48pm onwards along the eastern horizon.
At that time, the moon will be approximately 406,000km away from Earth, causing it to appear slightly smaller than usual, he explained. The full moon will remain visible throughout the night until the morning of April 14.
The moon orbits the Earth in an elliptical path, taking around 27.3 days to complete one revolution. Each month, there are days when the moon is at its closest and farthest distances from Earth.
The closest point is known as perigee, with an average distance of roughly 357,000km, while the farthest point is called apogee, averaging around 406,000km.
These varying distances result in the apparent size of the full moon changing slightly — a natural phenomenon that is entirely consistent with scientific principles.
Suparerk noted that the moon reaching its closest or farthest point from Earth does not always coincide with the full moon phase.
This year’s closest full moon, or “Super Full Moon”, will occur on the night of Nov 5, when the moon will appear slightly larger than usual. - The Nation/ANN
