Amman, May 8 (Petra) – The Jordanian Astronomical Society announced on Thursday that Jordan and other parts of the world will witness a distinctive astronomical event on Monday evening: the May full moon, known as the "mini-apogee moon."

The moon will reach its peak illumination at precisely 8:00 p.m. Jordan time and is expected to appear red or orange during moonrise due to its low position on the horizon and the effect of atmospheric scattering.

President of the Jordanian Astronomical Society Ammar Sakaji explained that the full moon will rise from the east-southeast approximately half an hour before reaching full phase. This coincides with the full moon of Dhu al-Qi’dah 1466 AH.

Dubbed the "mini-apogee moon," the phenomenon occurs when the full moon coincides with its position near apogee the farthest point in its elliptical orbit around Earth making it appear about 6 percent smaller than a typical full moon. Its apparent diameter will be approximately 29.48 arc minutes, compared to the 33.5 arc minutes of a supermoon near perigee.

Sakaji noted that at the moment of fullness, the Moon will be about 405,278 kilometers from Earth, having passed its apogee roughly 40 hours earlier, at 3:49 a.m. on Sunday, May 11.

He added that in various cultures, this full moon is referred to by symbolic names such as the "Flower Moon," "Bud Moon," "Agricultural Moon," and "Egg-Laying Moon," all of which evoke themes of renewal and growth typical of the spring season.

Sakaji underscored the value of such celestial events in deepening humanity’s connection to the cosmos and encouraged astronomy enthusiasts to prepare cameras and telescopes to observe and document the occasion.

The society also urged photographers especially those specializing in astrophotography to capture images of the moon rising behind iconic Jordanian landmarks, including mosques, churches, archaeological sites, mountains, and deserts, creating a visual harmony between the beauty of the heavens and the majesty of the land.

//Petra// AJ

08/05/2025 16:15:56