Supermoons: A Recipe for Disaster?

Courtesy of AP/Dmitry Lovetsky

The Internet has been buzzing with searches and posts about these "supermoons". What exactly are these supermoons and how are they related to the recent 2011 Great Sendai Earthquake.

WHAT ARE "SUPERMOONS"?

Astrologer Richard Nolle defined in 1979 that a "supermoon" occurs when a new or full moon is at or near (within 90 percent of) its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit. Supermoons occur four to six times a year, and the latest this year will occur on March 19, 2011 in the aftermath of the Great Sendai Earthquake on Friday, March 11.

While the moon does have an effect on our planet, what could be the potential adverse effects of supermoons?

Conspiracy theorists and apocalyptic events geeks are speculating that supermoons have triggered natural disasters such as earthquakes in the past. One evidence they site as proof is the coinciding of the magnitude 9.1 Indian Ocean Earthquake in 2004 with the January 10, 2005 supermoon. 

Rich Briggs, a research geologist for the US Geological Survey, stated, "The gravitational pull of the moon creates Earth tides and sea tides and causes portions of the Earth's surface to bulge." However, he also clarified that, "The moon does not need to be invoked to explain what caused this event. There are much simpler explanations."

According to the US Geological Survey, the 2011 Great Sendai Earthquake was caused by pressure created by the subduction of the North American Plate under the Pacific Plate. The area where the quake happened is indeed a hotbed of tectonic activity and it is very unlikely that the earthquake and its subsequent tsunami was caused by an impending "supermoon".

To 2012 conspiracy theorists and apocalyptic scenario geeks out there, "I'm sorry but the world is too far from ending the way you hoped so."

Sources: The India Scanner, Seattle's Big Blog and AccuWeather