Story Ideas – Full Moon at Perigee

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Story Ideas – Full Moon at Perigee

By Deb Gallardo

Mid-December 2008, the full moon was at its largest, as perceived from Earth. The moon’s orbit around Earth is elliptical rather than circular. When it is closest to us — by 31,000 miles/50,000 km (perigee), the full moon not only looks bigger, it is bigger than at apogee. The size difference is no illusion. (See photo comparing apogee and perigee full moons — opens in new window)

As you know if you’re a regular reader of this blog, I’m fascinated by celestial phenomena. They stir my imagination and inspire all kinds of “what if” scenarios. Perhaps you’ve noticed that the higher in Earth’s sky the moon travels, the smaller it appears. The almost “reach-out-and-touch-it” size just after moonrise is an illusion, but scientists can’t explain what causes it.

This sparked a number of story ideas — so many, in fact, that I could write for a year and not run out of moon-related tales to tell. Knowing some of the facts about this phenomenon is useful, and for a full explanation of the bigger moon from a science point of view (easily understood by non-scientists like me), read the NASA article at http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/09dec_fullmoon.htm?list1128087

Story Idea Takeaway:

This phenomenon is an opportunity to create several kinds of stories, starting with the most obvious and moving to those less obvious.

Supernatural
Science Fiction
Fantasy
Mystery/Suspense
Romance
Mainstream
Literary
Children’s
Western
Any

The moon or the size or the illusion can be elements, themes, peripheral storylines, or even the heart of the story. Don’t get locked into writing just about the full moon being larger (or smaller). Let this resonate within you until you discover something deeper.

Some questions to ask yourself:

Theme: Does size matter? (Not just related to the moon)
Is perception everything?
Does the full moon bring out lunacy?
Is the moonrise of a full moon sinister or breathtaking?
Is there science on this subject you’d like to explore in depth? If so, go for it.
At the NASA article, the tides are mentioned. Speculate/do research on the subject. How might the tides affect your characters or storyline?
In a fantasy scenario (or sci-fi) you might have a group of people who still have myths about the heavens. How does the bigger moon affect them/impact their society?
What if on the night of the full moon at perigee, at the moment of moonrise, it were possible to step from Earth and onto the moon? Would the airless environment somehow support life during this time only? (Hey, if you can walk to the moon, surely breathing there is also feasible…) Perhaps there is a fold in space you can walk through? (I’m reminded of the musical “Brigadoon,” where the village appears only once every 100 years. Perhaps this happens once every 10 years, with some kind of repercussions, like someone having to return to Earth before the fullmoon begins to wane a certain amount, or they must remain for 10 years or some such time limit – but with a way out because of love or great need, etc.)
Use the moon as a portent of things to come

I hope this sparked your imagination as much as it did mine. If you have comments, please leave them below. I value your feedback.

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