Grand And Final Supermoon Rises Behind Pantheon Temple On Acropolis Hill

The supermoon sight, especially this being the final one in 2016, rose above Greece's grand Parthenon temple on Acropolis Hill two days ago. This rare sight is also unforgettable for many reasons.

This is the final supermoon marvel in 2016. On Dec. 14, Wednesday, it was a brilliant sight to watch as the truly resplendent full moon rose behind the Parthenon temple. This monument on the Acropolis Hill is a landmark in Greece. The Moon's rays were a beautiful sight as they simply lit up the monument, adding to its splendor.

December Supermoon: What Makes It So Special

A supermoon is actually a full moon that is much bigger in size. The size of the supermoon is usually 14 percent bigger than the normal full moon. At the point when it is closest to the Earth, it is nearly 30 percent brighter and thus derives its name as the supermoon.

The specialty of the December supermoon is that it shares this great occurrence with the Geminid meteor shower. The Geminid meteor shower was at its peak on Dec. 14, 2016. Avid sky watchers may not have been able to enjoy the clear and complete visual of the meteor shower due to the brightness of the supermoon. Visibility may have been reduced on that night due to all the extra brightness, reveals Straits Times.

Astronomical Splendor

Nevertheless, this is a great visual treat and cosmic splendor for avid sky watchers. The final supermoon in December 2016 was really a magnificent phenomenon preceded by the November one when the Moon came closest to the Earth. The November supermoon was again a rare occurrence as people had seen a supermoon only in 1948 according to astronomers.

The December supermoon is really special as the next supermoon will be only 18 years later. Astronomers have predicted that the next time a full moon will come closest to Earth will only be on Nov. 25, 2034.