Super Perigee Moon Over Oregon

(SALEM, Ore.) - If you gazed into the sky Saturday night and wondered if the moon looked bigger than usual, you were entirely correct. Saturday's full moon was the biggest in almost two decades.

It seems oddly appropriate at this time in history when the earth is shaking madly and natural disasters are accompanied by man made ones, but NASA says there is no danger from this unusual site that the space agency calls a super "perigee moon".

Their scientists confirmed that it was the biggest moon we earthlings have witnessed in almost 20 years.

"The last full Moon so big and close to Earth occurred in March of 1993," says Geoff Chester of the US Naval Observatory in Washington DC.

Full Moons vary in size because of the oval shape of the Moon's orbit according to NASA.

"It is an ellipse with one side (perigee) about 50,000 km closer to Earth than the other."

Nearby perigee moons are about 14% bigger and 30% brighter than lesser moons that occur on the apogee side of the Moon's orbit."

"The full Moon of March 19th occurs less than one hour away from perigee--a near-perfect coincidence1 that happens only 18 years or so," adds Chester.

A perigee full Moon brings with it extra-high "perigean tides," but this is nothing to worry about, according to NOAA.

In most places, lunar gravity at perigee pulls tide waters only a few centimeters (an inch or so) higher than usual. Local geography can amplify the effect to about 15 centimeters (six inches)--not exactly a great flood.

Contrary to some reports circulating the Internet, perigee Moons do not trigger natural disasters. The "super moon" of March 1983 is an example.

It all took place without incident. NASA says an almost-super Moon in Dec. 2008 also proved harmless.

The phenomenon causes the moon to appear 14% bigger than usual. The bottom line is that even a super perigee Moon is still 356,577 km away from earth.

A lifelong surfer, Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor.
Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines. Tim holds numerous awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), the first place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several other awards including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website, affiliated with Google News and several other major search engines and news aggregators.
You can send Tim an email at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com

Dexter Phoenix has worked as a staff and freelance photographer since the mid-1990's and has a wealth of professional experiences on his resume. We welcome his presence to our staff and Salem-News.com. This native of Great Britian moved to Los Angeles in 2007, where he photographed general news, general Interests, sports, freelance model photo work, and also stock images. In his career Dexter has had photos published : World wide, in many magazines and newspapers and online. Throughout the course of his career he has experience with technology of all imaginable types. In his career as a photographer Dexter has covered stories in Norway, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Great Britain, France, Mexico, Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Turkey, Somalia, Tunisia, Algeria. Angola, Iran, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Colombia, United States. Email inquiries about photo purchase to Dexter at the above address. You can email Dexter Phoenix, Salem-News.com Photographer/Reporter, at innocent_p0stcard@hotmail.com

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JDA March 22, 2011 10:52 am (Pacific time)

Be informed about the supermoon coverup - huge increase in earthquakes following supermoon perigee: SuperMoon causes Global Earthquakes 3-20-11 http://globalnewsviews.blogspot.com/2011/03/supermoon-causes-global-earthquakes-3.html

JDA March 21, 2011 11:43 pm (Pacific time)

More earthquakes associated with the cycle of the supermoon:
March 18th, 2011 earthquakes
Magnitude 4.6 - ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN IS., ALASKA 2011 March 18 09:54:11 UTC
M 4.5 2011/03/18 09:36 Depth 10.0 km  CENTRAL KAZAKHSTAN / KYRGYZSTAN
M 4.5 2011/03/18 01:44      Depth 10.0 km  GULF OF CALIFORNIA
M 5.0 2011/03/18 13:38     Depth 25.1 km  OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
M 5.0 2011/03/18 12:17     Depth 31.7 km  NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
M 5.3 2011/03/18 08:01     Depth 24.2 km  NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
M 5.5 2011/03/18 03:23     Depth 19.0 km  OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
M 5.2 2011/03/18 02:47     Depth 45.2 km  NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
M 5.4 2011/03/18 00:41     Depth 45.8 km  NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

March 20th, 2011 earthquakes
Magnitude 5.5 - TAIWAN REGION 2011 March 20 08:00:50 UTC
M 5.0     2011/03/20 14:05     Depth 9.5 km    NEAR NORTH COAST OF NEW GUINEA, P.N.G.
March 21, 2011 at 12:05:00 AM at epicenter
Harmless earthquake more than 100 km out of the coast.
194 km (120 miles) N (360°) from Madang, New Guinea, PNG
Satellite map of the greater epicenter area
M 6.1     2011/03/20 12:03     Depth 53.1 km    NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
09:03:48 PM at epicenter
Epicenter only 10 km from Funakoshi Bay ! JMA intensity so far is 4 (on a scale of 7)
92 km (57 miles) ESE (115°) from Morioka, Honshu, Japan
Satellite map of the greater epicenter area
M 4.5     2011/03/20 08:47     Depth 10.9 km    SOUTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND
08:47:39 PM at epicenter
UPDATE 13:22 UTC : Three aftershocks, one a strong 5.1 magnitude, rattled quake-weary residents of Christchurch late tonight. A Civil Defence spokeswoman told NZPA there were no reports of damage, but police and Civil Defence staff were checking building in central Christchurch. Source : stuff.co.nz
Moderate aftershock felt as a MMI IV in the city.
14 km (8 miles) E of Christchurch, New Zealand
Satellite map of the greater epicenter area
M 6.0     2011/03/20 08:26      Depth 36.6 km    BABUYAN ISLANDS REGION, PHILIPPINES
04:26:11 PM at epicenter
Please read our in-depth report about this earthquake - Click here
NO damaging earthquake near the Babuyan Islands on the Philippines
Epicenter approx. 15 km from Fuga Island, which has a population of 1,786 people on 312 households
On of the theoretical earthquake models results in NO fatalities OR Injured. @ earthquake-report.com, we do not share this opinion, but we hope that they are right.
GDACS published a GREEN earthquake alert for this earthquake = very limited chance on damage and/or injuries. @ earthquake-report.com, we do not share this opinion, but we hope that they are right.
111 km (69 miles) NE (39°) from Laoag, Luzon, Philippines
Satellite map of the greater epicenter area
M 5.5     2011/03/20 08:00      Depth 17.3 km    TAIWAN REGION
04:00:50 PM at epicenter
UPDATE 10:59 UTC – EMSC testimony out of Taiwan (130 km from the epicenter)
There was a definite second moderate swaying on the build at approximately 16:30.
Shallow strong earthquake approx. 50 km out of the coast of Southern Taiwan.
We expect No or minor damage as the earthquakes epicenter (if the epicenter location will be confirmed) is out in the sea.
44 km (28 miles) SE (144°) from T’ai-tung (Taitung), Taiwan
At approx. the same distance as Taitung are the cities of Dawu, Taimali and the island of Lyudao.
Satellite map of the greater epicenter area
M 4.6     2011/03/20 00:10     Depth 10.1 km   SOUTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND
12:10:22 PM at epicenter
Shallow earthquake in the lake area near Lake Ohau and Lake Pukaku. Close to highway 8 near Quailburn and Glenbrook.
125 km (77 miles) NE of Queenstown, New Zealand
Satellite map of the greater epicenter area
Daily summary of deep moderate or weak quakes only faintly felt by people living above it
M 4.9     2011/03/20 13:46     Depth 256.4 km   SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS
M 4.7     2011/03/20 13:39     Depth 111.4 km    COLOMBIA
M 4.8     2011/03/20 01:20     Depth 64.6 km   JAVA, INDONESIA
M 5.3     2011/03/20 11:47     Depth 138.6 km    TONGA
Japan, Honshu : aftershocks of M5 or greater
M 5.3     2011/03/20 07:56     Depth 28.9 km    NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
116 km (72 miles) E of Mito, Honshu, Japan
M 5.2     2011/03/20 05:58     Depth 27.3 km    NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Approx. 50 km from Choshi and 119 km (73 miles) ESE of TOKYO, Japan- Max. JMA 3
M 5.4     2011/03/20 05:55     Depth 51.0 km    NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Approx. 35 km from Soma and 72 km (44 miles) SE of Sendai, Honshu, Japan- Max. JMA 3
M 5.5     2011/03/20 01:30     Depth 22.8 km    NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Only 28 km (17 miles) ESE of Iwaki, Honshu, Japan- Max. JMA 4
M 5.0     2011/03/20 01:24     Depth 31.3 km    NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Approx. 60 km out of the Minamisoma coast- Max. JMA 4
M 5.2     2011/03/20 01:09     Depth 36.9 km   NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Only 40 km out of the Kamaichi coast- Max. JMA 4

See http://earthquake-report.com/2011/03/20/earthquakes-list-march-20-2011/

JDA March 21, 2011 11:11 pm (Pacific time)

Here's a list of earthquakes on March 19th alone:
M 5.2 2011/03/19 02:33     Depth 31.8 km  NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
M 4.9 2011/03/19 05:23     Depth 63.5 km  VANUATU
M 4.6 2011/03/19 00:36     Depth 68.9 km  MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES
M 5.9 2011/03/19 01:22     Depth 9.2 km  OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Magnitude 7.6 - TONGA REGION 2009 March 19 18:17:40 UTC
Magnitude 5.0 – ETHIOPIA 2011 March 19 20:08:11 UTC

Help, I am lost March 20, 2011 9:17 pm (Pacific time)

Oh what a lovely moon, so much better than those moon shots I saw on crapy Fox News.

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Super Perigee Moon Over Oregon

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