 A super start to 2019 presented by Science at NASA, 2019 will be an excellent year to look to the sky and enjoy the spectacular view of Earth's nearest neighbor, the Moon. Fifty years ago we witnessed one of humankind's most remarkable achievements when we first stepped foot on the dusty surface of the Moon. That's one small step for man. One giant leap for mankind. As NASA continues celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo program, the year is opening with a number of opportunities to marvel at Earth's original satellite. Three super moons and a total lunar eclipse in the span of three months. So, what is it that makes a supermoon super? Start with size. The Moon orbits around the Earth in a slightly oval shape. At its furthest point away from us, known as the Apogee, it's about 250,000 miles or 400,000 kilometers from Earth. When it's closest to us, it's perigee, the Moon is about 220,000 miles or 350,000 kilometers away. When the Moon is full, at or near its perigee, it is considered a supermoon and can appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than at Apogee. Those distances, however, are changing as the Moon is slowly drifting away from Earth. How slowly? Approximately two inches or five centimeters annually. A billion years from now, the Moon will take about 31 and a half days to orbit the Earth, instead of today's 27.3 days. In the meantime, this year's first supermoon of the year occurred on January 21st and also featured a total lunar eclipse. The second occurred on February 19th and sky watchers will have another chance to see this beautiful large orb as it rises above the horizon on March 21st. While super moons and total lunar eclipses are marvels to behold, a question rises 50 years after humankind's first steps on the Moon. Does it hold any more secrets for NASA scientists? Noah Petro, Project Scientist for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, at NASA's Gutter Space Flight Center says, there are many unanswered questions about the Moon. For example, we are still attempting to understand how the Moon evolved to its current state. The Moon has occupied space near Earth for its entire four and a half billion year history, keeping record of the impacts that have scarred on its surface over time. This record of ancient impacts is largely erased from the Earth due to wind, water, and plate tectonics. Analysis of Apollo samples shows that there was a period of intense impact cratering on the Moon early in the history of the solar system and therefore on the early Earth as well. Observations from LRO, now in its ninth year of orbiting the Moon, are helping us piece together this history. As 2019 unfolds, with a third supermoon on March 21, enjoy the wonderful view and the history that the Moon continues to reveal. For more illuminating facts about super moons, lunar eclipses, and other marvels of the night sky, visit science.nasa.gov.