At roughly 9:50 PM eastern time, the Earthâ€™s moon will rise low on the horizon, making it appear larger and closer than usual. Of course the moon in no larger, but according to Space.com senior science writer, Robert Roy Britt the eye is fooled because of the moonâ€™s proximity to the horizon.
Brittâ€™s report also includes some other interesting moon facts such as the moonâ€™s orbit is actually expanding, moving the natural satellite about an inch and a half away from the Earth each year. Donâ€™t worry though, because the orbit has been evolving for 4 and a half billion years (unless you believe in the 6,000 year old Earth bunk) and is effected by many factors within our solar system.
Scientists have been exploring the moon since the 1950s with the aid of robotic and manned probes. Apollo 11 deposited Neil Armstrong on the moon, making him the first human to tread its rugged surface.
In the 1990s, two additional probes, the Clementine and Lunar Prospector, discovered evidence of water at the moonâ€™s southern pole. The water is in the form of ice and most likely was delivered by comet impacts.