Brightest of 2014 Super Moons Captured from Snoqualmie Point Park

So the moon illusion dubbed the ‘super moon’ is (was) visible three times in 2014 – July 12th, August 10th and September 9th – with last night’s full (super) moon appearing the biggest and brightest of the three spectacular moon events.

But why?

According to NASA, ” The scientific term for the phenomenon  is ‘perigee moon.’ Full Moons vary in size because of the oval shape of the Moon’s orbit. The Moon follows an elliptical path around Earth with one side (“perigee”) about 50,000 km closer than the other (“apogee”). Full Moons that occur on the perigee side of the Moon’s orbit seem extra big and bright.”

Last night, August 10th, the moon became full during the same exact hour as perigee, making it a ‘super-super’ moon.  In 2015, there will only be one ‘super moon,’ happening on September 27, 2015.

Snoqualmie resident Barb McDaniel ventured out to Snoqualmie Point Park on Sunday night to capture the latest super moon eye-loving illusion. McDaniel said that combined with the haze from the multiple Eastern Washington wildfires, the moon put on quite a show as it rose above the Cascade Mountains.

Thanks to Barb for sharing her progression photos of the brightest of the three 2014 ‘super moons.’