Full Moon Rising – 11th August 2022

Three CMHASD members imaged the full moon – the 4th and last supermoon of the year rising on the 11th August 2022 and below are their stunning photos.

A full moon occurs when the moon and sun are opposite each other and sunlight strikes the moon face-on.

The August full moon is also known as the Sturgeon Moon so this was a Sturgeon supermoon! 

Nasa explain: ‘The term ‘supermoon’ was coined in 1979 and is often used to describe what astronomers would call a perigean (pear-ih-jee-un) full moon: a full moon occurring near or at the time when the Moon is at the closest point in its orbit around Earth. Therefore the moon appears larger and brighter than usual as it reaches the full moon stop of its cycle.  A supermoon will usually cast around 30 per cent more light onto Earth than it does when it is at its dimmest.  This is because the supermoon will be closer to the sun’s rays and therefore able to reflect more light.’  

We have already witnessed three supermoons this year, in May, June and July.  Surprisingly, supermoon streaks like the one we have seen this year are not uncommon. 2023 will also see four consecutive full supermoons, as will 2024. Even 2025 has three in a row.

Member Diane Clarke wrote  ‘Fellow member Honor Wheeler sent out a message reminding us that the full moon would be rising, so along with fellow member Jim Burchell, Honor & myself went to a local vantage point to await moonrise above the distant horizon.  Unfortunately we were a little late in arriving and from the remaining colour in the sky we no doubt missed a superb sunset.  The image below shows moonrise over a 15 minute period as it breached the horizon and proceeded to climb into the late evening sky.  The middle image was taken 8 minutes after the initial breach and the image at the top of the frame was taken 7 minutes later as the evening was moving into night.  Shortly after we all decided to depart after experiencing another spectacular moonrise.‘

 

Diane’s image was acquired using EOS M50m2, Sigma 18-250mm @ 250mm, 1/6 – 1/15 sec f/6.3 and ISO 1600 at 8.57pm to 9.12pm.