Chasing The Supermoon

Supermoon

First, what is a Supermoon.  The definition of a Supermoon only has to be a new of full moon.  "At or near (within 90% of) its closest approach to Earth".  This year there will be actually five Supermoons: three full moons (May, June, and July), and two new moons (January and December).  The moon's closest approach to Earth is called the perigee and the June 23 moon is the closest approach this year.  By the way, " The term Supermoon doesn’t come from astronomy. It’s comes from astrology."

Here is the story of my chasing the Supermoon.  On Saturday afternoon, I was up on the North Shore of Massachusetts and after checking the weather forecast and wanting to have an interesting foreground for the moon, I decided to travel to York, Maine, and use Cape Neddick Light as my foreground.  The weather was only post be partly cloudy, which would make for some interesting photographs.  However, at the time of moonrise, the sky was completely cloudy and the moon could be seen, disappointing large number of onlookers that came to visualize the event.  About 45 minutes after moonrise, there was a little break in the clouds and I was able to capture this picture.

Supermoon and Cape Neddick Light

What I really want to get was this picture, which is a composite of two pictures.

Supermoon and Cape Neddick Light - My Dream

We started driving home, and on the way on Interstate 95, the skies cleared and it was a beautiful bright orange moon in the sky.  Oh well, we missed it, but the 23rd was supposed to be the actual Supermoon, so will try again.

On the 23rd, I decided that we would go to Gooseberry Neck in Westport, Massachusetts, since we could capture the moonrise in the East and the sunset in the West.  When we started out the skies at home were clear with fluffy clouds, but the closer we got to the ocean near Gooseberry, the temperature dropped and there was fog everywhere.  We reached Gooseberry, with a wind was blowing.  We tried some interesting photos of the grasses and flowers blowing in the wind and waited, hoping that the fog would lift.  No, the fog did not lift, we also want to get photographs, so we headed back toward home and when we reached the beginning of route 24 N. the moon was starting to show over North Wattupa Pond.  I knew where the Causeway across North Wattupa Pond.  So we went there and join some of the people were watching the Supermoon.  So we got our photographs of the Supermoon.

Supermoon and Clouds - North Wattupa Pond

Fish-eye View

Fish-eye View

Photographing the Supermoon

Of course in July still be another Supermoon on the 22nd and will try again to hopefully capture the moon at moonrise.  Also, I want to remind people that on the early morning of July 28 and 29th Southern Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower occur and I will be hosting another event at the Stone Barn at Allens Pond Audubon Sanctuary.  More information will follow later.