A Rare 'Super Blue' Moon Lights Up The Night Sky This Week: Here's When To Watch It
It will appear the largest and brightest in the sky all year.
As our closest celestial neighbor, the Moon is right behind the Sun as the inescapable presence above our heads. But its shifting phases make it a lifelong performer, outperforming even the brightest stars and spinning close enough for viewers on Earth to make out details on its surface. without the need for a telescope . From time to time, this dynamic behavior includes spectacular and unique sights that deserve to be seen. And this week, a rare “super blue” moon will light up the night sky. Read on to find out when you should plan to look up to catch a glimpse of it for yourself.
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A rare "super blue" moon will appear large in the sky later this week.
If you're hoping to make the most of the remaining summer nights, this week has a great reason to spend some time outdoors. A "super blue moon" will rise as our orbiting neighbor reaches its full phase in the near future. rare combination of lunar events , reports Space.com.
As the expression is not literal, the relatively rare "blue moon" refers to the fact that this full moon will be the second of this month. But even though the color won't be different, it will still appear somewhat differently as a "super moon." This means that the full moon occurs when it reaches perigee, or the point in its orbit where it is closest to Earth.
While regular full moons can be an awe-inspiring sight, a "supermoon" can be even more striking. The glowing orb will appear brighter and approximately 14 percent larger in the sky, according to NASA.
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This “supermoon” is different from the one that took place at the beginning of the month.
The month of August was not lacking in unmissable astronomical events. In addition to presenting some impressive meteor showers , the first full phase of the month also produced a supermoon. But even though it's the second of the month and the third of 2023, this "super blue" moon will also be the the biggest and the brightest of the year because it comes closest to Earth than at any other point, at only 357,344 kilometers, Forbes reports.
Astronomers will have another opportunity to catch a supermoon this year when our orbiting satellite again reaches its full phase next month, on September 29. However, this is the first time a blue moon of any kind has occurred since August 2021, according to Space.com.
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Here's when and where you should look up to see the "super blue" moon.
Luckily, if you plan to admire the "super blue" moon for yourself, you won't have to go to bed late or get up before you wake up. It will rise on the night of Wednesday August 30 and will pass the horizon shortly after sunset. And while it will be difficult to miss the bright object in the sky, you can look for an observation point with a clear view to the east if you want to catch it as soon as possible, according to Space.com.
If the weather conditions in your area cooperate, the moon will appear both brighter and larger. The difference between a supermoon and a typical full moon is about the same size difference as a quarter and a nickel, according to NASA. And even if it doesn't turn blue, the moon could take on a bright orange hue when it first appears above the horizon, making early sightings even more special.
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There's a second treat for anyone who manages to witness this rare lunar event.
But it's not just the Moon that will shine in the sky on August 30. Saturn will also rise nearby, also twinkling at its biggest and brightest of the year, reports Space.com.
Even though it is much further away than the Moon, our famous ringed neighbor will be just days away from the point in its orbit where sunlight hits it most directly from Earth's vantage point, making it shine brighter than usual. You'll be able to spot it by looking just above and to the right of the moon around the Aquarius constellation area, according to Space.com. And while you should be able to see it without any instruments, binoculars or a telescope might help you make out some features of the planet.
