Supermoon on June 23, 2013: Don't Fear the Supermoon, NASA Says!

Don't fear the 'Supermoon". There is no reason for anybody to dread the largest full moon of 2013, known as the "supermoon," a NASA scientist says.

On Sunday (June 23), the moon will reach perigee — the closest point to Earth in the rocky satellite's orbit around the planet. Although some people have suggested that the "supermoon"  phenomenon may be associated with increased risk of events such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, cause natural disasters and wreak havoc on the tides, but there is scant evidence in support of those claims, NASA assures.

NASA planetary geologist Noah Petro said that while the tides might be slightly higher because of the moon's close approach, it won't make a noticeable difference for the average observer.

 

Certain prognosticators have moved the goalposts to within 1 or 2 weeks of a "supermoon" to suggest a causal relationship with specific natural disasters.

"Supermoons" that have "Coincided" with Natural Disasters

Devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Indonesia on Dec. 26, 2004 occurred about two weeks prior to a "supermoon" on Jan. 10, 2005.

"Supermoon" occurred on Jan. 30, 2010, about two weeks after the catastrophic earthquake that hit Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010.

Catastrophic earthquake and tsunami struck Japan on March 11, 2011 occurred about one week prior to the "supermoon" on March 19, 2011

"Supermoon" occurred on Feb. 21, 2011 just before the devastating earthquake that hit Christchurch, New Zealand on Feb. 22, 2011.

Additional information 'Weather forecast' channels:

Skywatcher88: Solar Activity Update - AR-1777 Unleashes an M2.9-Flare/CME

SuspiciousObservers: Destabilization Signals, Flooding, M2 Solar Flare and Weather Extremes, Fast Solar Wind and Proton Flux

Perexusrex: Will this Sunday’s supermoon bring another damaging quake? Due to another CME and other solar activity upon the sun, when combined with Sunday’s "supermoon", an earthquake watch of 7.0 or greater magnitude is in effect from now until June 25th, 2013.

 

The moon does obviously have an influence on the Earth. space.com , astropro.com

Amateur Telescope See's Moon Pyramid - June 2013

A pyramid on the Moon located by an amateur telescope? 

Apollo 17 NASA Lunar photograph AS17-136-20680 shows after adjusting the contrast, a pyramid. We have many different pyramids here on earth. This Apollo photo confirm at least one type of pyramid on the moon.

Could this be another? 

Could this be a stepped pyramid on the moon? 

 So is this a pyramid captured by an amateur telescope or is it just an optical illusion?

 

Hammertime: UFO or Geology Hammer? 2013

Apollo 17 just prior to liftoff.

One of the last things that Harrison H. "Jack" Schmitt did while on the surface of the moon at the end of the last lunar EVA of the Apollo program was to throw their one and only Geology hammer off into the distance.

Nasa's explanation for this: 

The Geology Hammer

The  interesting video below shows the EVA just prior to liftoff and astronaut Schmitt who throws the hammer:

 

More information and photographs about the geology hammer 'UFO' at nasa's website: Where on the Moon is Jack Schmitt's hammer? streetcap1

Bright Explosion on the Moon 2013

For the past 8 years, NASA astronomers have been monitoring the Moon for signs of explosions caused by meteoroids hitting the lunar surface. "Lunar meteor showers" have turned out to be more common than anyone expected, with hundreds of detectable impacts occurring every year.

They've just seen the biggest explosion in the history of the program.

"On March 17, 2013, an object about the size of a small boulder hit the lunar surface in Mare Imbrium," says Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. "It exploded in a flash nearly 10 times as bright as anything we've ever seen before."

The 40 kg meteoroid measuring 0.3 to 0.4 meters wide hit the Moon traveling 56,000 mph. The resulting explosion packed as much punch as 5 tons of TNT.

Unlike Earth, which has an atmosphere to protect it, the Moon is airless and exposed. "Lunar meteors" crash into the ground with fair frequency. Since the monitoring program began in 2005, NASA’s lunar impact team has detected more than 300 strikes, most orders of magnitude fainter than the March 17th event. Statistically speaking, more than half of all lunar meteors come from known meteoroid streams such as the Perseids and Leonids. The rest are sporadic meteors--random bits of comet and asteroid debris of unknown parentage.

U.S. Space Exploration Policy eventually calls for extended astronaut stays on the lunar surface. Identifying the sources of lunar meteors and measuring their impact rates gives future lunar explorers an idea of what to expect. Is it safe to go on a moonwalk, or not? The middle of March might be a good time to stay inside.

  source: science.nasa.gov , nasatv