2. Learn more about the Super Moon phenomenon. Watch this YouTube video.

3. The Super Moon
The Moon’s elliptical orbit around the Earth makes it closer to Earth at its perigee and farthest from Earth at its apogee.

4. Date
Distance (km)
2-Jan
404589
17-Jan
369899
30-Jan
404325
11-Feb
367928
27-Feb
404842
10-Mar
362408
26-Mar
405744
7-Apr
358324
22-Apr
406431
5-May
356964
19-May
406439
3-Jun
358491
15-Jun
405796
1-Jul
362366
13-Jul
404793
29-Jul
367310
10-Aug
404122
23-Aug
369740
7-Sep
404303
18-Sep
365759
4-Oct
405183
16-Oct
360660
1-Nov
406066
14-Nov
357356
The Super Moon
This table shows the distance from the Earth to the Moon throughout Notice how the distances vary, reflecting the changes from apogee to perigee.

5. Date
Distance (km) 2
404589 17
369899 30
404325 42
367928 58
404842 70
362408 86
405744 98
358324
113
406431
126
356964
140
406439
155
358491
167
405796
183
362366
195
404793
211
367310
223
404122
236
369740
251
404303
262
365759
278
405183
290
360660
306
406066
319
357356
The Super Moon
To graph the data let’s convert the dates to numerical values. January 1 is assigned 1 and December 31 is assigned 360. We can now graph this as a scatterplot.

6. The Super Moon
The graph of the data shows how the distance from the Earth to the Moon is periodic.

7. Date
Distance (km) 2
404589 17
369899 30
404325 42
367928 58
404842 70
362408 86
405744 98
358324
113
406431
126
356964
140
406439
155
358491
167
405796
183
362366
195
404793
211
367310
223
404122
236
369740
251
404303
262
365759
278
405183
290
360660
306
406066
319
357356
The Super Moon
We can modify the data to make it easier to graph. The average distance from the Earth to the Moon is km. Let’s rescale the data using this formula:

8. The Super Moon Here is the rescaled data. Date Distance (km) 2 2.018617 30
1.9922 42 58
2.0439 70 86
2.1341 98
113
2.2028
126
140
2.2036
155
167
2.1393
183
195
2.039
211
223
1.9719
236
251
1.99
262
278
2.078
290
306
2.1663
319
333
2.1963
347
360
2.1691
The Super Moon
Here is the rescaled data.

9. The Super Moon
Here is the graph of the rescaled data with the Super Moon highlighted.

10. The Super Moon
The reason that a Super Moon is so rare is that the periods for the phases of the Moon and its orbit differ by about two days. These graphs show how they quickly get out of phase, and it takes many periods for them to intersect. Super Moons happen about once a year.

11. The Super Moon
Do you plan on watching the next Super Moon?