It is not just the century-long rarity of a Chicago Cubs World Series title that will grace us in 2016; a "supermoon" we haven't seen since 1948 — and won't see again until 2034 – will light up the pre-dawn sky Nov. 14, according to NASA.
"Supermoon" generally refers to a full moon that is closer to Earth's orbit than average. The elliptical orbit of the moon brings it closer to Earth at certain times, the closest being 30,000 miles closer at "perigee" than "apogee," the furthest distance.
"Syzygy" is time when the Earth, sun and moon line up as the moon orbits Earth. We will get "perigee syzygy" when the moon is on the opposite side of the Earth than the sun, a supermoon event Nov. 16, which marks the closest full moon of the 21st century, according to NASA.
The supermoon can be as much as 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than an apogee full moon.
The Nov. 14 supermoon, one of three at the end of 2016, will be just two hours from perigee, the closest since Jan. 26, 1984 — and once-in-86-years event, Gizmodo's Maddie Stone reported.
The best viewing on the East coast will be the morning of Nov. 14 just before dawn before the moon sets and sun rises, NASA Planetary Program Executive Gordon Johnston told Stone.
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