supermoonWell, folks, the day you've been waiting for has finally arrived. No, we're not talking about the Kentucky Derby or Cinco De Mayo, we're talking about the day (or should we say night) when the biggest, brightest moon of the year will light up the sky -- it's Supermoon Saturday!

And whether you're a science geek or more of a folklore follower, we've got something you'll love.

First the facts: The reason the moon is so gloriously full during this once-a-year event is because it's actually closer to the Earth than usual (approximately 15,300 miles closer). This proximity will make the moon look abut 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than normal. The sicentific term for the phenomenon is "perigee moon." The moon will reach perigee at 11:34 p.m EST tonight.

Still awake? (If so, there's much more science in the first video below.)

Now for the folklore: All kinds of strange things happen during a full moon -- the crime rate goes up, hospital admissions increase, and people start acting all kinds of wacky. In fact, people used to believe that the moon caused mental disorders (the word lunacy comes from the latin worn for moon). If you ask a scientist, they'll say that the full moon's reputation for trouble is a lot of hooey (they've done studies, of course). But I'm not so sure and I'll have my video camera with me tonight just in case -- so I can document whatever crazy stuff I see.

Everything you need to know about the Supermoon from a science perspective is summed up here:

 
 

And if you're more of a folklore follower (or even just a music lover), a little Creedence Clearwater Revival is probably more up your astro alley. Here's what you can expect tonight during that Bad Moon Rising ...

Will you be howling at the Supermoon tonight or are you more of a science geek?

 

Image via bsabarnowl/Flickr