A Simple Life

We've just passed a monumental event in the astronomical calendar - the "Supermoon". The local and national news outlets were all abuzz for days before. I am not sure why, since the majority of their audience is urban, and could not enjoy much of the scene except when the orb was overhead. But as I get older, I seem to fall for these "once in a lifetime" calls, even though the last supermoon was a mere 18 years ago, and maybe I will be alive for the next one. (Wikipedia: The Moon's distance varies each month between approximately 357,000 kilometers (222,000 mi) and 406,000 km (252,000 mi) due to its elliptical orbit around the Earth (distances given are center-to-center).^[4][5][6]
According to NASA, a full moon at perigee is up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than one at its farthest point, or apogee. The full Moon occurring less than one hour away from perigee is a near-perfect coincidence that happens only every 18 years or so.<sup>[7])

Here in the country, we relish each full moon. Any excuse to witness the pull of the lunar face gives us a special occasion. I can count over a dozen special full moon occasions without a blink of an eye. And with Joe we mark some piece of every moon phase via telephone if not closer.

Hopefully, when exhorted to witness such a phenomenon, I will be sufficiently ignorant of the actual timing. That gets me out in time to see the sun go down. Magnificent, in just about any weather, really, but we've had clouds and intermittent rain enough to give us some variety. Look west for a clear glow. East, in search of the moon, leads to a very subtle but enjoyable reflection of colors from the west on those eastern clouds.</sup> 

Then finally I spot it edging above those lovely pink and purple clouds on the horizon. The "find" is exciting on it's own, since the location on the horizon is always a bit of puzzle.  From then on, it's a smile on the rise. Clouds and colors change, sounds in the background mute. If I let go, it seems it is just me and the moon connected in the moment.

And then, with darkness descending, it's all "ahhhh". The rising moon is hypnotic- maybe even an instinctive reaction evolved over millions of years. It takes me out of the present, into the deep expanse of the space between  touch and sight. The very incremental steps from light to dark,and then from dark to moonlight, unveil the slow, steady, constant of a day- nothing remains the same, always.

We came all this way to explore the Moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the Earth.  Bill Anders