The date to save is November 14.  Experts call it the supermoon for a few days from now, the moon would be so close to earth that it appears so big and bright.

There hasn’t been a supermoon in almost seven decades but come November 14, there’s going to be one.  On this day, the moon will be at a position where it is super close to the earth, making it appear super huge and bright for a group of spectators.

The last time this happened was in 1948 or, 68 years ago.  After November 14, it will take another 18 years of waiting for another supermoon.

Experts termed it as a supermoon because it will appear 14 percent larger versus a typical full moon.  Moreover, it will look brighter by 30 percent.  It’s a spectacle one shouldn’t miss.

Earth science professors taught us that the moon moves around the earth following an elliptical orbit.  One side of the orbit, the perigee, is closer to the earth.  When the moon is at its perigee, it is merely 30,000 miles away from the earth.  The other end of the elliptical orbit, the one farthest from the earth, is its apogee.

Meanwhile, a syzygy happens when all three – sun, earth, moon, align. A perigee-syzygy occurs when these three align such that the moon’s perigee side faces the earth and that it is on the other end of the earth from the sun.

At this alignment, the moon will look very bright and so large that experts named this perigee moon a supermoon.

Supermoon isn’t too rare.  In fact, about a month ago, we just had one.  But what makes this November 14 supermoon a much-awaited spectacle, is that it will also reach its full moon phase in about two hours time that it’s in the perigee.  This makes it look way bigger than the supermoon seen about a month ago.

NASA adds that since 1948, this month’s perigee moon is the closest and the biggest because it is in its full moon phase.  Missing the view on 14 November would mean waiting for 2034 or, 18 years from now.

If your view has a backdrop of tall buildings, trees, or other notable structures, you will have a better appreciation of the extreme size of the moon.  This is because viewers can readily compare its size with these mega structures or objects.

Otherwise, the supposed supermoon wouldn’t appear as super at all.  While this optical illusion does help create a bigger version of the moon, fact remains that the full moon is going to be at its closest distance to the earth.

Experts advise that viewers watch the supermoon on November 14, possibly in really dark surroundings, away from all types of illuminations.

The best time to watch it is on or about 8:52 am EST.  At this time, the supermoon or perigee moon will be at its fullest phase.  Remember to save the date!