Are you ready for a celestial double feature this August? If not, it’s time to mark your calendars because you won’t want to miss this lunar spectacle. This year, the month of August presents not one, but two supermoon events, with the first one coming up on Tuesday, August 15th.
A supermoon is a perigean full moon that occurs when the moon is at its closest point to Earth during its full phase. This makes it look up to 8% bigger and 16% brighter than a typical full moon. The first supermoon of August is called the Sturgeon Moon, named after Native American tribes that found that the giant sturgeon from the Great Lakes were “most readily caught” at this time of the summer.
The second supermoon event of the month is even more special. On August 30th, there will be a rare blue supermoon, which won’t happen again until 2032. A blue moon is a term used when there’s a second full moon in a single calendar month. It’s also used to describe the third of four full moons in an astrological season.
So, why is it called a blue moon? Well, it’s not actually blue in color. The term “blue” actually refers to the frequency of the event, which is quite rare. According to NASA, a blue moon occurs every two-and-a-half years or so. And a blue supermoon? Even more rare.
The last blue supermoon occurred in December 2009, and the next one won’t be until August 2032. So, make sure to catch this year’s blue supermoon on August 30th at 9:36 p.m. ET. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, this will be the biggest and brightest supermoon of 2023.
Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-blue-moon opportunity to witness the beauty of our celestial neighbor up close and personal. Use the Farmer’s Almanac’s moonrise calculator to see when the supermoons will be visible in your area. Get ready to be amazed!
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