Five Supermoon Dates For 2014 Revealed, January To Have 2 Of Them

Researchers have revealed that 2014 is expected to have five supermoons and the first month of the year, January will have two of them, according to EarthSky.

The New Year brings with it bigger dreams, new discoveries and the chance to start afresh. The celestial world is already welcoming the New Year in all its grandeur and according to recent reports; dates of five supermoons this year have already been revealed. What makes the start of 2014 all the more fascinating is that January will have two supermoons, a rare occurrence. This phenomenon won't take place again until 2018. The first supermoon was on January 1 and the next will be seen on January 30.

So what exactly is a supermoon?

Supermoon is when the moon makes its closest approach to Earth in its orbit than usual, which is seen clearly when there's full moon.

"So, the moon may seem bigger although the difference in its distance from Earth is only a few per cent at such times," Dr. James Garvin said on the space agency's website, a chief scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre. "It is called a supermoon because this is a very noticeable alignment that at first glance would seem to have an effect. The 'super' in supermoon is really just the appearance of being closer."

Supermoons usually occur very close to the Earth, making them appear "as much as 14% larger in the sky and 30% brighter to our eyes than at minimum size and brightness."

While there are no negative attributes of supermoons, researchers say they bring with them higher tides than usual. The other supermoons in 2014 will occur on July 12, August 10, and September 9. On August 10, the moon will be closest to the Earth.