'Super moon' Saturday: Big, bright full moon in the sky

May 4, 2012 (WLS) -- A super moon is on tap for Saturday night when the moon reaches its closest point to earth this year.

Sky watchers will see the moon reach its fullest point at 10:35 p.m. CST on Saturday. That is, if the weather cooperates -- and skies are clear.

The moon will be about 221,567 miles from earth, according to NASA . That's about 17,000 miles closer to the earth than usual as it orbits.

The technical name for it is a perigee-syzgy moon, but it's more commonly referred to as the "super moon."

According to NASA, the super moon doesn't function any different than other full moons and will not have any readily observable effect on the planet- but possibly higher tides.

Super moons occur four to six times a year, according to NASA.gov.

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