Moon Travels 31,000 Miles Closer To Earth

By: Sara Smith
Staff Writer
Published: Dec 12, 2008

Earth's moon will be closer to our planet on Friday night. The moon will definitely put on a bright show as it will situate more than 31,000 miles closer to earth.

Astronomers say the moon will be approximately 31,000 miles closer to Earth on Friday night. The moon will be full and 30 percent brighter.

It will mark the first time in 15 years where the moon has this proximity to the Earth. Astronomers say the moon will be 30 percent brighter on Friday evening as it begins to rise.

"For reasons not fully understood by astronomers or psychologists, low-hanging moons look unnaturally large when they beam through trees, buildings and other foreground objects. The swollen orb rising in the east at sunset may seem so nearby, you can almost reach out and touch it," Tony Phillips, Science@NASA's production editor, said in a statement.

Tides are estimated to be six inches higher due to the moon's closeness to the Earth.

The moon completes a circle around the Earth every 29.5 days. However, the orbit is not a perfect circle. The moon is actually moving farther away from the Earth by about 1.6 inches each year.

The moon's average distance from the Earth is about 238,855 miles. It will be orbiting just 221,560 miles away on Friday night.