The world's biggest moon ever, or something like that (editor's note: the largest moon since 1948), was due to orbit Boston for a few days back in mid-November. Luckily for us unemployed star-gazers, conditions aligned to make the waterfront a perfect viewing spot for moonrise at 4:55 pm on November 14.
I spent a couple of hours exploring East Cambridge (it is capitalized, no?) by bike before making my way over towards the ocean just after four o'clock. The sun was just about 'all set' by then but there remained enough light to confirm clear skies over Logan Airport, the landmark over which the 'supermoon' was due to make its historic appearance. Clear skies were required to see the moon, I guess, even if it was the biggest one in several decades.
And so, anticipating the momentous occasion about to come, I wandered along the harbor and found a place among a good crowd of around fifty to deliberately watch the moonrise for the first time in my life.
There were several false dawns, so to speak, usually involving lights from the airport coming on and off. Eventually, right on schedule, the moon slowly crept over the horizon. Everyone oohed and pointed at what was very obviously the moon, the brightest thing in the sky, so obviously the biggest...disappointment I've ever seen!
I'm very sure, in fact, that I've even seen a bigger moon. It was on July 31, 2015. I wandered out early for a run, far too early, but back then waking up before 5am was just an opportunity to try for eight miles instead of my usual five. So I wandered out to the Charles River and, hanging over the Citgo sign by Fenway Park, was greeted by what I'm sure remains the biggest visible moon in the history of the commonwealth.
There must be some kind of meteorological explanation for this. Perhaps the setting moon is, by default, larger than the rising one? Well, I guess we all learn.
The most interesting realization I had in watching moonrise was how little actual light the moon brought to the sky. The space it occupied among the stars was fully lit, of course, but there was no evidence of light if I looked just to the left or right of it.
The place I watched this moonrise from just happened to be the same location from which I've witnessed many sunrises over the past few years. The contrast between the two events is significant. For one, sunrise, though always marked exactly on a calendar, is always a drawn-out event.
The sky awakens gradually as the sun approaches the horizon. The early light reaches out to greet the dark clouds lingering above and the warming air seems to refresh the paleness of last night's sky. As anticipation for the appearance of the day's protagonist builds, the heavens are set alight with the illuminating hues of orange and red.
The arrival of the sun, the main event, wipes away the grumbling of anyone still ruing their decision to wake at such an early hour. The shimmering brightness brings a sense of great possibility at no better time- the whole day is literally ahead.
Not so with the moon, super or otherwise. The moonrise happens despite the sky's disinterest. Look away for a minute and you might miss it (though 'miss what' remains the open question for me).
Seeing the 'supermoon' come up was nice in an anecdotal way. But I'm not sure I'll be sprinting down to the nearest open space the next time a moon as large comes our way.
