First Supermoon of 2014 On January 1st

Categories: Moon

First Supermoon of 2014 On January 1st

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida — The first Super Moon of 2014 arrives on New Year’s Day. But this Super Moon does not produce a giant Full Moon. That’s because today’s Super Moon is a New Moon which means the effects on Earth will be limited to tidal effects.

The moonrise over the Atlantic Ocean on Florida’s east coast does not occur until around 7 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (with a few minutes deviation depending on your exact location.) The moon will set around 6:15 p.m.

For those planning a stroll along the beach, this Super Moon brings with it a 4-foot plus high tide that will occur around 7:15 a.m. and 7:27 p.m., with a few minutes of variation depending on your exact location.

What’s so special about this January 2014 Super Moon?

This is one of two Super Moons to occur within a calendar month. The New Year’s Day Super Moon will be followed by another New Moon Super Moon on January 30, 2014.

According to NASA, a Super Moon occurs because the Moon is in an elliptical orbit around the Earth. When the Moon is closest, it is at its orbital perigee, which is why a Super Moon is also known as a Perigee Moon.