moon geography | EarthSky

Expect flooding from this week’s supermoon, but know a lunar cycle masks effects of sea level rise

The April 2021 supermoon and the lunar nodal cycle, explained.

Year’s closest new supermoon August 30

Today - August 30, 2019 - presents the closest new moon of the year, exactly a fortnight (about 2 weeks) before the year's farthest and smallest full moon on September 14, 2019.

Black Moon supermoon on July 31

Don't listen to people who tell you that supermoons are hype. Supermoons aren't hype; they're folklore, like Blue Moons or Black Moons or the beloved Harvest Moons.

Gray spacecraft over barren orange hills and plain with a yellow sky.

Dragonfly aims for Saturn’s moon Titan

Scheduled for launch in 2026, the Dragonfly mission will look for clues to the origins of life, and possibly even evidence of life itself, on Saturn's alien yet remarkably Earth-like moon Titan.

June new moon is a supermoon

The June 13 new moon is the 1st in a series of 3 new moon supermoons. The other 2 will fall on July 13 and August 11, 2018.

How the moon reveals the sun’s mass

How do astronomers determine masses for distant space objects? Here's one example - using the moon's orbit as a baseline to find the mass of our sun - from EarthSky's Bruce McClure.

Extremely thin, threadlike white crescent against blue background.

2017’s closest supermoon is May 25

For the 1st time since 2009, a new moon - not a full moon - will be the closest and largest supermoon of a year.

First supermoon of 2017 on April 26

The April 26, 2017 supermoon isn't a full moon. Instead, it's a new moon. You won't see it, but Earth's oceans will feel its effects.

Closest new moon of 2016 on April 7

April 7 moon turns new six hours before perigee - closest point to Earth. We won't see it, but it counts as a supermoon and will affect ocean tides.

First of year’s 6 supermoons March 9

We'll have six supermoons in 2016. The first one is a new moon supermoon, not visible in our sky.

Moon at right and left sides of earth, at right angles to line from earth to sun.

Quarter moon, Earth perihelion, neap tide

The last quarter moon combined with Earth at perihelion should usher in a gentle neap tide, with little variation between high and low tide over the next few days.

In 2015, first of six supermoons comes on January 20

The first supermoon of 2015 comes on January 20. It's not a full moon. It's a new supermoon, between the Earth and sun. So you won't see it, but those along coasts might experience higher-than-usual tides in the coming day or two.

A map of global ocean circulation with ribbons of red and blue sweeping across the page indicating hot and cold subsurface flows.

Gravity between Mars and Earth drives climate and currents

Seafloor sediments provided new evidence that a 2.4 million-year-long resonance between Mars and Earth affects long-term changes in ocean currents and temps.

Book cover with big eclipsed sun and word Totality in all caps.

Media we love: Totality, The Great North American Eclipse of 2024

Read a book review of "Totality: The Great North American Eclipse of 2024" by Mark Littmann and Fred Espenak. Reviewed by Bruce McClure.

Streaks of smoke seen from satellite over a green landscape.

Wildfires turn world’s largest forests into carbon emitters

The world's largest forests, such as in northern Canada and Russia's Siberia, may soon release more carbon than they historically stored.

Illustration of a man in uniform in a greenhouse on Mars tending to plants.

Dinner on Mars will transform food on Earth

The technologies needed to plan for dinner on Mars will also help us transform how things are done here on Earth, where 1/3 of all food is thrown away.

Dark clouds over a harbor scene where a huge wave crashes, covering objects.

Hurricane storm surge: what is it?

Of all the hazards that hurricanes bring, a hurricane storm surge is the greatest threat to life and property along the coast. Learn more here.

Solstice tale of two cities

December solstice sunrise comes at the same time for St. Augustine, Florida, and New York City. But St. Augustine has an hour more of daylight than New York. Here's why.

The International Space Station is seeing

The International Space Station is 20 and going strong

20 years ago, three astronauts stepped aboard the ISS. It's since hosted residents from many countries, creating humanity’s first history of living in space.

NASA Astronaut Peggy Whitson is seen floating in the ISS while Earth's ocean is covered by clouds just outside a window's view.

What astronauts think about life away from Earth

Axiom is an aerospace company making new possibilities accessible to humanity. Watch as astronauts retell their experience launching from Earth and living in space.

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Expect flooding from this week’s supermoon, but know a lunar cycle masks effects of sea level rise

Year’s closest new supermoon August 30

Black Moon supermoon on July 31

Dragonfly aims for Saturn’s moon Titan

June new moon is a supermoon

How the moon reveals the sun’s mass

2017’s closest supermoon is May 25

First supermoon of 2017 on April 26

Closest new moon of 2016 on April 7

First of year’s 6 supermoons March 9

Quarter moon, Earth perihelion, neap tide

In 2015, first of six supermoons comes on January 20

Gravity between Mars and Earth drives climate and currents

Media we love: Totality, The Great North American Eclipse of 2024

Wildfires turn world’s largest forests into carbon emitters

Dinner on Mars will transform food on Earth

Hurricane storm surge: what is it?

Solstice tale of two cities

The International Space Station is 20 and going strong

What astronauts think about life away from Earth