A full moon is one of the most exciting phenomena occurring in the sky, and it has attracted people’s interest since ancient times. It’s when the full disc of the moon is seen from the Earth, shining against the dark background of the night sky. This is a geographical marvel that has been part of folklore, myth, and sometimes the sphere of science. Let it be revealed in this article that we are going to discuss the all-important full moon and its significance, features, and marvels.
What is the Full Moon?
It is one of the 8 phases of the Moon, which occurs every full Moon lunar cycle. It occurs when the moon is in the opposite position to the sun or if the moon is in the opposite position of the sun. In this phase of the lunar cycle, half of the sphere, which is lit by the sun, is visible from Earth as a circle.
Also read: Latin Grammy Awards 2024 Highlights: Winners and Performances
The Phases of the Moon
What makes this important is that the Moon also changes its phases during the time that it orbits around the Earth. These phases are determined by how many days of the lunar month during which the illuminated side of the moon is visible from Earth. There is the new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, the third quarter, and waning crescent. The whole process lasts roughly 29.5 days, which is referred to as a synodic month.
The full moon is timed mid-this cycle. It shines at night by staying up from the time it rises at sundown right until it disappears at sunrise. Since the Moon is on the opposite side of the Sun during this phase, moonlight beams toward the Earth most brightly; hence, the full moon appears to be bigger and brighter than any other full moon phase.
Why Does the Full Moon Shine So Brightly?
The source of light that we get to see during the full moon is a reflection of sunlight from the moon’s surface. The moon is never warm on the side facing the sun because it does not produce light on its surface but reflects the sun’s light. When we speak about the full moon phase, the entire illuminated side is turned towards the earth and thus illuminates the maximum amount of light toward the earth. This makes the full moon bright in the night sky most of the time brighter than stars or any other object in that night sky.
But, in spite of the fact that the light that comes during the full moon night is the brightest of all nights, it does not help in majorly changing our lives. For instance, the full moon can cause excess brightness to obscure the needy features such as craters and mountains that are evident in other phases when the sun’s light gains deeper shadows.
The Supermoon Phenomenon
Sometimes, it can be even shinier and enormously more than the normal full moon. This is called a “supermoon.” A supermoon is defined as any full moon that falls on the same day as perigee, the point in the moon’s orbit when it is closest to Earth. In the case of a supermoon, the moon may be as much as 14% larger and shine 30% more brightly than during the lunar apogee. Supermoons are a breathtaking phenomenon that occurs frequently in any given calendar year, at least two or three times.
Cultural Implications of a Full Moon
In different cultures and religions, a full moon has been given importance since time immemorial. Other societies considered nights of the full moon as celebrational, ritualistic, or festival nights. For instance, in Hinduism, the day of the full moon, the Purnima, is dedicated to fasting and prayers. Besides, in Buddhism, people pay attention to the days of the full moon as the days of spiritual fasting.
How the Full Moon Affects Earth
Besides, the full moon also has its value in the sense that it impacts the Earth in many ways. The most obvious impact is observed in the tidal activities, to be precise, the tides. The rising and setting of the tides are caused by the moon’s gravity on the earth’s bodies of water.
