المملكة: Tonight…the giant moon adorns the sky of the Kingdom at its closest point to the Earth
The Astronomical Society in Jeddah, Engineer Majid Abu ZahiraThe skies of Saudi Arabia and the Arab world will witness this evening, Wednesday, November 5, 2025, a distinctive astronomical event represented by the full moon of the month of Jumada al-Awwal at its closest distance to the Earth this year, which is known conventionally as the “giant moon,” as the moon will appear illuminated throughout the hours of the night.
Abu Zahira pointed out that the term giant moon is used when the moon is in the The full moonThe distance between the centers of the moon and the Earth is less than 362,146 kilometers, explaining that the most accurate scientific description is the “perigee full moon,” that is, when the moon reaches the closest point in its orbit around the Earth.
The moment of the full moon
Abu Zahra added that the moon will reach the moment of fullness at exactly 4:19 p.m. Mecca time (1:19 p.m. GMT), at a distance It is estimated at about 356,978 kilometers from the center of the Earth, almost simultaneously with its passing through the lunar perigee point, which makes it appear 14% larger and 30% brighter compared to the full moon when it is at its apogee, that is, the farthest point from the Earth, which reaches about 406,000 kilometers.
The chief astronomer of Jeddah stated that the giant moon will rise with the sunset from the northeastern horizon, and at the beginning it will appear orange in color. It is tilted to red as a result of its light passing through the dense layers of the atmosphere laden with dust and water vapor, which leads to the scattering of blue light and the preservation of red and yellow, so the moon appears in a warm, orange-tinged colour. As it gradually rises in the sky and moves away from the horizon, the moon returns to its usual silvery-white color.
The Giant Moon
Abu Zahira explained that the difference in size between the giant moon and the regular apogee is slight and not noticeable with the naked eye, as it does not exceed 7% in apparent diameter and 15% in illumination intensity, but it can be easily distinguished through photographs or comparison with the apogee.
Abu Zahira denied the existence of any exceptional effects of the giant moon on Earth, except The two tidal phenomena that occur every month when the moon is full due to the alignment of the Earth, the Moon, and the sun on one line, which leads to high tides known as spring tides.
He added that the presence of the moon at perigee makes the forces of attraction a little stronger, which causes a perigee tide that is higher than usual, but it remains a slight effect that does not result in any geological or climatic disturbances, stressing that tides and tides are regular natural phenomena that do not affect the Earth’s energy balance or Its general climate.
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