Supermoon superstition waxes today

It occurs when the moon’s path of orbit leads it to sweep dangerously close to Earth causing tides to rise and the crust of the planet to shift.

London: It has been reportedly revealed that the “supermoon” on August 10 might set in motion the “end of life” as we know it. Lunar activity that would light up the sky in a beautiful spectacle has been said to mark the Earth’s terrifying and dramatic conclusion, with some religious groups believing it to be the activation of explosion of earthquakes, killer plagues and volcanic eruptions, the Daily Express reported.

It occurs when the moon’s path of orbit leads it to sweep dangerously close to Earth causing tides to rise and the crust of the planet to shift. The Bible gives terrifying warnings of impending doom signalled by rare and foreboding cycles of the moon.

When the moon reaches its closest approach to earth at around 6pm it would be just 221,765 miles away and would appear 16 per cent larger and 30 per cent brighter than usual. Astronomers are expected to be lapping up the event which would see the moon travel 863 miles closer to the earth than normal. Supermoons have been proven to cause sea levels to rise as the gravitational pull of the Earth’s closest neighbour increases as it gets closer.

Such events have been linked to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and devastating tidal waves including the Boxing Day tsunami of 2004. This super moon would also coincide with the arrival of Storm Bertha currently hurtling across the Atlantic and due to rip into Britain on Aug 10. When the moon reaches its closest approach to earth at around 6pm on Sunday it will be just 221,765 miles away and will appear 16 per cent larger and 30 per cent brighter than usual. Astronomers are expected to be lapping up the event which will see the moon travel 863 miles closer to the earth than normal. Tom Kerss, astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, explained there have been three supermoons so far this year, two in January and one in July. “If ancient prophecies don’t come true and the world doesn’t end on Sunday, there will be another next month,” he added.