perigeessä

Perigee refers to the point in the orbit of the Moon or a satellite where it is nearest to the Earth. The term originates from the Greek words "peri" meaning near and "gee" meaning Earth. When the Moon is at perigee, it appears slightly larger and brighter in the sky than when it is at apogee, its farthest point from Earth. This phenomenon is often associated with higher tides, known as perigean spring tides or "supermoons," which can be significantly more pronounced than regular spring tides. The Earth's gravitational pull is strongest at perigee, influencing tidal forces on our planet. The distance at perigee varies slightly due to the elliptical nature of the Moon's orbit and gravitational perturbations from other celestial bodies. Understanding perigee is important in fields such as astronomy, navigation, and the study of Earth's tides.