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Holding 2016’s smallest full moon

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April 26, 2016

Moonrise on April 23, 2016 by Scott Kuhn. — Rise of the April, 2016, full moon by Scott Kuhn of Chatsworth, Georgia.

This weekend’s full moon was the farthest full moon, and the smallest full moon of 2016. We’ve heard it called the micro-moon or mini-moon. Scott Kuhn captured this shot of the moon, and posted it to EarthSky Facebook.

Thanks, Scott!

This full moon came less than one day after reaching lunar apogee, the moon’s farthest point in its monthly orbit. It lay some 30 thousand miles (50 thousand km) farther from Earth than 2016’s closest full moon – a supermoon – due on November 14.

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April 26, 2016

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Deborah Byrd

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Deborah Byrd (asteroid 3505 Byrd) helps edit EarthSky.org and is a frequent host of EarthSky videos. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named in her honor in 1990, a Public Service Award from the National Science Board in 2003, and the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society in 2020. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.