Community Corner

Are You Ready for Super Moon 2012?

Check out the night skies Saturday evening for a special glimpse at the moon.

Break out your telescopes: Saturday night brings us Super Moon 2012. 

A Super Moon occurs when the moon goes into its full phase at the same time it approaches Earth at the shortest-possible point in its orbit—an event known as a perigee. If you're like me—someone who enjoys watching the Discovery Channel—you'll click through this NASA video that will teach you all about Super Moon 2012. 

To sum it up, the Moon is supposed to look big Saturday night. And it's going to be really cool. 

Find out what's happening in Holly Springs-Hickory Flatwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

It will orbit within 221,802 miles of Planet Earth—not exactly close enough to reach out and touch, but the closest it gets to us all year. At 11:34 p.m., the moon will arrive at the position in its annual orbit where it's nearest to Earth.

A minute later, it will line up between the sun and Earth, making our town's namesake celestial body look "gloriously full," according to that NASA video that I watched twice.

Find out what's happening in Holly Springs-Hickory Flatwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

NASA in its report also debunks some common mythology about full moons—namely that they don't trigger and aren't related to such things as higher crime rates, hospital admissions or generally bizarre behavior. 

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