By the MOOK Scenic Spots Editorial Team
The astonishing astronomical phenomenon known as the "supermoon" will soon make its appearance, and it’s also the largest full moon of the year. The moon is the closest and easiest celestial body to observe. This year, it reaches the full moon position at 23:47 on December 3, making the full moon visible in Taiwan the largest of 2017 — approximately the size difference between a 10-cent and a 50-cent coin.
The supermoon reaches the full moon position at 23:47 on December 3 (Photo / Taipei Astronomical Museum)
Because the moon orbits the Earth in an elliptical path, its distance from our planet constantly changes. When a full moon occurs while the moon is closer to Earth, the full moon appears larger. On December 3, the moon rose from the northeast at 16:58, reached full moon at 23:47, and didn't set until 5:31 the next morning from the northwest. No tools are needed to enjoy the largest full moon — it can be admired with the naked eye — but viewing through a telescope reveals more lunar surface features.
The moon on December 3 can be enjoyed with the naked eye (Photo / Taipei Astronomical Museum)
Accompanying this year’s largest full moon is a very bright orange-red star — Aldebaran, the brightest star in the constellation Taurus — which makes a stunning contrast with the full moon. On the evening of that day, from 7 to 9 p.m., the Taipei Astronomical Museum specially set up large telescopes at Tianmu Baseball Stadium, allowing city dwellers to observe the year’s largest and most beautiful supermoon up close through telescopes.
Top 5 global moon-viewing spots selected — famous Taiwanese attraction makes the list
》https://www.mook.com.tw/article.php?op=articleinfo&articleid=16361