If you're familiar with the SuperMoon concept (introduced to the astrological community with my 1979 article for Dell Publishing Company's HOROSCOPE magazine), you already know that I have described a new or full moon which coincides with lunar perigee as an important indicator of extreme tides on Earth. (See Century 21 (CE) SuperMoons for more.) But what of perigee as a thing in itself, regardless of any association with a new or full moon? The table above lists time and zodiacal position data for all of them for 2011, along with the opposite point in the lunar orbit (apogee, maximum distance from Earth). In addition, the actual distance in kilometers from Earth to Moon is shown for each apogee and perigee of the year. The closest perigee of 2011 (March 19, at 356,577 kilometers), is marked with an asterisk; as is the farthest apogee (April 2, at 406,655 kilometers). To put these figures into perspective, the farthest apogee in the period 1750-2125 is 406,720 km. (on February 3, 2125), and the closest possible perigee during this same period is 356,375 km. (on January 4, 1912): see John Walker's excellent article Inconstant Moon: The Moon at Perigee and Apogee for more on this.
