'Supermoon,' Meteor Shower Vie For Attention In The Sky
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A "supermoon" will dominate the sky Sunday night, making it tougher to see the annual Perseid meteor shower as it nears its peak.
When the moon is full as it makes its closest approach to Earth, astronomers refer to it as a supermoon. On Sunday, the moon — technically a perigee full moon — will be as much as 31,000 miles closer to Earth than other full moons this year, according to NASA.
The moon will appear bigger and brighter than usual, and also have more of an impact on tides. Rip currents were a worry at area beaches this weekend while long-than-usual swells and high tides caused concerns for minor flooding.
The supermoon is coinciding with the annual Perseid meteor shower, which peaks early this week. Considering the amount of light and the timing of the Perseid event, NASA said viewing of the meteor shower would be its best early Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.
