Article Posted on : - Aug 23, 2010

A file photo.

NEW DELHI (PTI): The full moon tomorrow will appear the smallest this year as it would be the farthest from earth.

Tuesday's full moon will be around 15 per cent smaller and its light intensity 30 per cent less as compared to the biggest full moon during the year.

"The moon will be farthest from the earth tomorrow and, therefore, appear smallest," Director of Science Popularisation Association of Communicators and Educators (SPACE) C B Devgun said.

"This is because the moon's orbit is an ellipse with one side 50,000 km closer to earth than the other," he said.

The full moon, also known as grain moon or Green Corn moon in August, will be seen at its best at around 12:05 AM.

The full moon will lie more than 2,52,000 miles away, in contrast to the moon's average distance of about 2,39,000 miles.

The next farthest full moon will be seen on October 12, 2011.