The December 2016 supermoon will reach peak fullness at 7:05 p.m. EST (0005 GMT) on December 14.
If you’ve been following any astrology articles at all these last few years, you’ll have seen a lot of talk about supermoons. It seems you can’t go from one season to the next without a moon being super, bringing magic powers, or doing something extraordinary. November’s supermoon was the biggest, brightest and closest moon that we’ve seen in nearly seventy years. Now December’s supermoon brings yet another one of these events upon us. Is it all hype, or is there really something special about these moons?
Related Article: Make Your Moon Wishes Come True
What Is a Supermoon?
In order to really understand what’s going on, you first have to realize what a ‘supermoon’ is. The Moon’s orbit is elliptical, so at times it is closer to the Earth than at other points in its rotation around our planet. When the Moon is closest to the Earth- less than 223,694 miles – this is called its perigee. When the Moon is either New or Full it’s at perigee, then it becomes a supermoon.
While November’s Moon was closer to us than it had been since 1948, it didn’t make any real difference to its gravitational pull on our planet. Neither will this moon, so don’t listen to anyone who predicts extreme weather or any other supernatural events because of December’s supermoon. It will appear around 7% larger than it usually does. This is partly because of the distance from Earth and partly due to atmospheric conditions. December’s supermoon isn’t passing quite so close to the Earth as November’s Moon, so you’ll probably not notice any difference in size with the naked eye.
You might hear some people talking about the Moon being 15% bigger, but that’s slightly inaccurate. They’re getting that figure because they’re comparing this full supermoon to a micromoon, which happens when the full moon happens at the Moon’s farthest distance from the Earth (over 248,548 miles). You’re unlikely to notice any great contrast in the size of the Moon – unless you’ve got previous lunar photographs to use in comparison. You may notice a difference in brightness (possibly up to 30%) although 12 – 15% is more probable.
Supermoon Astrological Forecast
The astronomy about these supermoons is all well and good, but what will it mean for you? When the Moon reaches fullness on December 14th at 5 minutes past midnight GMT, it will be in the zodiac sign of Gemini. This heightens social activity and will get your gray matter moving with a flurry of activity. It will be easy for you to spread yourself too thin at this time, the full Moon and Gemini involve very animated energies.
There’s a Void of Course (VoC) Moon for about 6 hours at this time as well. It ends at 12:08 AM GMT when the Moon makes a transit into Cancer. Full Moons in Cancer will bring any emotional issues to a peak. You’ll feel things more deeply than usual. It’s possible you’ll experience vulnerability and mood swings. If you need time alone, don’t be frightened to take it, even if society is calling you to participate. Work with small intimate groups rather than large gatherings and don’t be shy about expressing to others how you truly feel about them.
Any nurturing and caring instincts you have will be strong. Make a point to stay relaxed and focused. Any nervous energy is likely to create digestive upsets. There are other notable points about December’s supermoon. The 14th is a great day for traveling, celebrations, and for merrymaking. If you’ve got some seasonal festivities scheduled for today, tap into this positive energy and enjoy yourself! Love is in the air and there’s an overall vibe of success and achievement.
Related Article: The Useful Energy of a Void of Course Moon
Avoid the ‘Supermoon’ Hype, and Enjoy the View!
However you choose to mark the occasion of this supermoon, remember that there are going to be those who use it to create propaganda and hype in order to get attention. Yes, this is a noteworthy event. No, you’re not going to feel or see anything particularly different. If you already live with the rhythms of the Moon, do your usual rituals. This Moon isn’t going to bring you anything sensational. While this is indeed a very special Moon, nothing climactic is likely to happen.
If you miss this supermoon, there will be another one in December next year – it will be the only full supermoon in 2017. It won’t be a record-breaker like the one we had in November, though. Whatever you do, enjoy the rhythm of life, and take the opportunity to witness the striking astronomical displays that (weather permitting) December’s supermoon has to share with you.
