LOS ANGELES

Moon’s close approach will make it look bigger, brighter

Additional Photos

The moon rises above the Jackson Building in Asheville, N.C., on Thursday. A so-called “supermoon” rises tonight. The Associated Press

There’s a full moon today, but it won’t be just any old full moon. It’ll be bigger and brighter.
It will appear larger as it makes its closest approach to Earth in 18 years.

Scientists estimate that the “supermoon” rising in the east at sunset will appear 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter at its peak.

Full moons vary in size because of the oval shape of its orbit, with one end closer to Earth. Today, the moon will be 221,565 miles away – the closest to Earth since March 1993.

This celestial phenomenon should give people an excuse to take time out for the moon.

Usually, “most people are completely oblivious to its presence,” said Geoff Chester of the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C.

While today’s full moon will shine brighter than normal, it won’t be as luminous as the near-supermoon of 2008 when it was higher in the sky.  

WASHINGTON

Clemens fighting to view evidence in steroids probe

The law firm and the congressional committee that investigated drugs in baseball are fighting former star Roger Clemens over access to evidence collected against him, which could delay the trial on charges he lied about being a user.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and the firm that produced the Mitchell Report filed motions in federal court in Washington on Friday to quash Clemens’ subpoenas.
Clemens wants to see their evidence accusing him of using steroids and human growth hormone. The criminal trial is scheduled for July.

Clemens has testified that he never used performance-enhancing drugs during 23 seasons, in which he recorded 354 wins and 4,672 strikeouts and won seven Cy Young awards.

Prosecutors say evidence proves that he did and charged him with perjury, false statement and obstruction of Congress.

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