apogee. This is due to the inverse square law of light which changes the amount of light received on earth in inverse proportion to the distance from the moon. A supermoon directly overhead could provide up to 0.36 lux. Effects on Earth Claims that supermoons can cause natural disasters, and the claim of Nolle that supermoons cause "geophysical stress", have been refuted by scientists. Despite lack of scientific evidence, there has been media speculation that natural disasters, such as the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, are causally linked with the 1–2-week period surrounding a supermoon. A large, 7.5 magnitude earthquake centred 15 km north-east of Culverden, New Zealand at 00:03 NZDT on November 14, 2016, also coincided with a supermoon. Tehran earthquake on May 8, 2020, also coincided with a supermoon. Scientists have confirmed that the combined effect of the Sun and Moon on the Earth's oceans, the tide, is greatest when the Moon is either new or full. and that during lunar perigee, the tidal force is somewhat stronger, resulting in perigean spring tides. However, even at its most powerful, this force is still relatively weak, causing tidal differences of inches at most. Total lunar eclipses Total lunar eclipses which fall on supermoon and micromoon days are relatively rare. In the 21st century, there are 87 total lunar eclipses, of which 28 are supermoons and 6 are micromoons. Almost all total lunar eclipses in Lunar Saros 129 are micromoon eclipses. An example of a supermoon lunar eclipse is the September 2015 lunar eclipse. Annular solar eclipses Annular solar eclipses occur when the Moon's apparent diameter is smaller than the Sun's. Almost all annular solar eclipses between 1880 and 2060 in Solar Saros 144 and almost all annular solar eclipses between 1940 and 2120 in Solar Saros 128 are micromoon annular solar eclipses. See also Apsis Moon illusion Syzygy (astronomy) Notes References External links Lunar Apogee/Perigee Calculator Richard Nolle's definition Richard Nolle's list of supermoons in the 21st century Full Moon at Perigee (Super Moon): 2001 to 2100 (Fred Espenak) Super Blue Blood Moon 2018 | Check123 1 Minute Video Astrology Astronomical events Lunar science Moon Articles containing video clips