What is a supermoon?
The moon is on an elliptical orbit and its distance from the Earth varies between approximately 222,000 and 252,000 mi. A supermoon is a full moon that occurs at perigee, that is the closest approach of the satellite to Earth. A supermoon is visually larger, up to 14% in diameter, and shines 30% brighter than the moon at apogee, the farthest point on the elliptical orbit. Astronomers do not use the term supermoon, they use the much more charming term perigee-syzygy, where syzygy is a term indicating the alignment between Earth, Moon and the Sun.
Does the Moon affect humans?
There are two ways in which our moon affects life at the surface of our planet. Through Its light and its gravitational pull. The moon shines bright in the night sky, reflecting the Sun's light like an opaque mirror, leaving us contemplating its beauty at night. Not all of us, though: It is a little known fact that astronomers actually don't love the moon, having to plan their telescope observation runs when the sky prima donna is not outshining the rest of the firmament. The other important way in which the Moon leaves its mark on Earth, is through its gravitational force. Together with the Sun, the Moon induces the amazing rise and fall of sea levels, also known as tides. Tides can be quite substantial, their effect temporarily changing the landscape of many locations on Earth. The most striking example is Mt. St. Michel, a dreamy village in the north on France that, depending on the tides, shifts from being an island in the Atlantic ocean to being a hill one can reach walking on the sand. Around Mt.St.Michel, the ocean's height can change as much as 46 ft between high and low tide. All because of the Moon.