Tonight's full moon has two distinct features. It is the Harvest Moon, the closest full moon to the first day of autumn and it is also by distance close. The moon's proximity to the Earth is close and thus appears slightly larger. Most folks will not detect the enormity of its size, as it takes a real pro to measure its dimension.

Yesterday the moon was in perigee, it's closest approach in its month long journey around the Earth. Perigee happens every month, but it only occasionally coincides with a full moon. Tides this weekend will be unusually extreme. High tide at near midnight and noon time will be higher. Wrack lines will be pushed up the beach.  Low tide at sunrise and sunset will be also worthy of note, especially for boaters, who must concern themselves with sand bars beneath the surface.

The moon's distance is 223,640 miles away today. On average the moon is 225,000 miles away. Look at the moon tonight and note whether it looks close.

Most will agree that a full moon rising in the east looks so much bigger than it does high in the sky. That is perception not science. The moon doesn't change size during the night. Our perception of its changing size is in our head.