Check Out The Supermoon During Halftime Of The Patriots Game Sunday
GREENBELT, MD (CBS) -- Whether you typically use halftime to refresh your game snacks or stretch your legs, you might want to switch up your routine during the Patriots game this Sunday. NASA scientist Noah Petro told WBZ NewsRadio 1030 you should use the game break to check out the moon.
Sunday night through Monday night marks the closest the moon has been to earth since 1948. While a supermoon isn't necessarily an uncommon occurrence, this one is a little different not only because of how close the moon will come to earth but because it will be a full moon.
All that together, Petro said, is a sight you shouldn't miss. It's one that won't come around again until 2034.
"People should go out and look at the moon any time they can," Petro said. "During halftime of the Patriots game Sunday night, go out and look."
The moon will be closest to earth around 6:30 a.m. Monday morning, making it a spectacle for early morning commuters, but Petro said the supermoon will be visible all night Sunday and into Monday night, too.
It will be big, he said, but also very bright.
"It will ... look at least 14 percent larger in the sky than your average small full moon. It will also be 30 percent brighter," he said. "You may notice it's very bright out, like your neighbor left the light on or something."
Petro said everyone should see the supermoon this weekend, but he also encouraged people to look up at the sky more often. The moon, he said, is a record of both earth and space happenings past and present.
"The moon gives us this incredible record of...things that have happened in the ancient geologic past and things that are happening right now," Petro said. "Hopefully people go out and start looking at the moon today and keep looking at the moon. Bust out that dusty telescope you have in the attic. What you see from the earth does change slowly over the month, so get out there and enjoy it."
