The full moon over the Yakima Valley Saturday night will appear to be much bigger than normal. In fact, it will be what's  called a "supermoon."

That's the nickname for full moons that happen when our lunar neighbor is relatively close to Earth.

Since the moon travels around our planet in an elliptical orbit, when it's closer and full it appears to be bigger than normal. Actually, the difference is hard to see. When the moon's close to the horizon, it just looks gigantic because of where it is in the sky.

Sky conditions should be great for viewing the supermoon, with clear skies expected over the Yakima Valley. And if you miss it, full moons in August and September will also be supermoons.

 

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