This year the Taj Mahal in India will look that much brighter during the full moon in the months of November and December as compared to earlier months. In fact, it looked really bright on Oct. 16. It is set to be bright again on Nov. 14 and Dec. 14 as well. Well, what is so special about these dates?
On these dates, the moon would be at its closest point to Earth, Contrary to popular belief, the orbit of the moon around the earth is elliptical and not circular. Because of this, the moon is closest to the Earth at about 225,000 miles. At a point known as the apogee, the moon is at the farthest at 252,000 miles.
Due to the nature of the orbit, apogee and perigee occur roughly once a month. The average distance of the moon that we are accustomed to is about 239,000 miles from Earth.
However, this year during the months of October, November and December, the moon is at the closest point - about 14,000 miles closer than what we are accustomed to.
It is estimated that the moon would look about 15-20 percent larger and about 25-35 percent brighter. The difference is so significant that most of us can really feel the difference, making for a spectacular sight for the eyes so much so that such full moons are called as super moons.
A UNESCO World Heritage site and top among the new Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal with its ivory-white marble exterior would look more spectacular on the super moon nights.
Those who missed witnessing the monument on Oct. 16 can look forward to the two upcoming dates and plan to be there to witness the glorious spectacle.
