The largest and brightest supermoon of the year will light up the UAE’s skies on Tuesday, November 5.
Known as the Beaver Moon, it will be the penultimate supermoon of the year, appearing about 14 per cent larger and up to 30 per cent brighter than an average full moon.
A supermoon refers to when the Moon’s orbit is closest to Earth at the same time as a full Moon.
Tuesday’s supermoon will be about 356,833km from Earth, almost 28,000km closer than the average distance.
“The Moon looks bigger when it’s near the horizon due to the ‘moon illusion’,” Khadijah Ahmed, operations manager at the Dubai Astronomy Group, told The National.
“Although the Moon’s actual size doesn’t change, our brain perceives it as larger when we see it next to objects like trees or buildings on the horizon.”
It was given the nickname ‘Beaver Moon’ because of an old tradition, when Native Americans used to mark the time beavers would prepare for winter by building their lodges before rivers froze.
“The term has origins from a variety of traditions and folklore in Native American and European culture,” Nasa says on its website.
“November is when beavers prepare for the winter by fortifying dams and stocking their food supply.
“November was also the season to trap beavers for their thick, winter-ready pelts to use for warmer clothing.”
This will be the second of three supermoons to take place in the country this year, with the first one, called Hunter’s Moon, that happened on October 1.
The final supermoon of the year, the Cold Moon, will appear on December 4.
This is a busy season of astronomy events that includes supermoons and meteor showers.
The Orionids meteor shower peaked on October 21 and 22, sending bright streaks of light across the night sky.
The season will close with the Geminids meteor shower on December 13 and 14. The Geminids are among the most reliably visible and dazzling showers, and can feature 120 meteors an hour at their peak.
Types of policy
Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.
Whole-of-life insurance: as its name suggests, this type of life cover is designed to run for the rest of your life. You pay regular monthly premiums and in return, get a guaranteed cash lump sum whenever you die. As a result, premiums are typically much higher than one term life insurance, although they do not usually increase with age. In some cases, you have to keep up premiums for as long as you live, although there may be a cut-off period, say, at age 80 but it can go as high as 95. There are penalties if you don’t last the course and you may get a lot less than you paid in.
Critical illness cover: this pays a cash lump sum if you suffer from a serious illness such as cancer, heart disease or stroke. Some policies cover as many as 50 different illnesses, although cancer triggers by far the most claims. The payout is designed to cover major financial responsibilities such as a mortgage or children’s education fees if you fall ill and are unable to work. It is cost effective to combine it with life insurance, with the policy paying out once if you either die or suffer a serious illness.
Income protection: this pays a replacement income if you fall ill and are unable to continue working. On the best policies, this will continue either until you recover, or reach retirement age. Unlike critical illness cover, policies will typically pay out for stress and musculoskeletal problems such as back trouble.
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
The five pillars of IslamThe specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets