On August 30-31, the world watches a rare case of full Moon appearing the second time in a single month, calling it the Blue Moon. The Moon appears a little bigger and brighter thanks to its slightly closer position to Earth.
Although some people wait for the Moon to actually turn blue this night, the name of the phenomenon has nothing to do with color. The term "Blue Moon" simply refers to the event when the full Moon appears twice in a single month. The occurrence is possible due to the difference between Moon's (29.5 days) and Earth's (30.4 days) cycles. Eventually, this gap leads to the full Moon appearing twice in the same month: on the 1st or 2nd and on the 30th or 31st. Hence, the Blue Moon happens every two to three years.As for the Supermoon, the term describes a full Moon in the point nearest to the Earth, when it looks approximately 14% bigger than when it is farthest from the Earth. The Supermoon occurs three to four times a year. Thus, the Blue Moon and the Supemoon are different phenomena that can happen at the same time, just like tonight, but quite rarely: only 3% of full Moons are blue Moons. Moreover, the two phenomena coincide irregularly, however, on average it occurs every 10 years (20 max). The next Super Blue Moon will happen no sooner than in January and March 2037.Check out Sputnik's gallery to find out what the Blue Moon looked like from different locations of the planet!
On August 30-31, the world watched a rare case of a full Moon appearing the second time in a single month, which is called a Blue Moon. The second time, the Moon appears a little bigger and brighter thanks to its slightly closer position to Earth.
Although some people wait for the Moon to actually turn blue this night, the name of the phenomenon has nothing to do with color. The term "Blue Moon" simply refers to the event when the full Moon appears twice in a single month.
The occurrence is possible due to the difference between Moon's (29.5 days) and Earth's (30.4 days) cycles. Eventually, this gap leads to the full Moon appearing twice in the same month: on the 1st or 2nd and on the 30th or 31st. Hence, the Blue Moon happens every two to three years.
As for the Supermoon, the term describes a full Moon in the point nearest to the Earth, when it looks approximately 14% bigger than when it is farthest from the Earth. The Supermoon occurs three to four times a year. Thus, the Blue Moon and the Supemoon are different phenomena that can happen at the same time, just like tonight, but quite rarely: only 3% of full Moons are blue Moons. Moreover, the two phenomena coincide irregularly, however, on average it occurs every 10 years (20 max). The next Super Blue Moon will happen no sooner than in January and March 2037.
Check out Sputnik's gallery to find out what the Blue Moon looked like from different locations of the planet!
The August Super Blue Moon sets behind a historical building and the St. Basil's Cathedral, right, as people walk in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
The Supermoon rises behind the ancient temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, about 70 kilometers (45 miles) south of Athens, Greece, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
The Supermoon rises behind a thick layer of clouds near a statue of the angel Moroni perched atop The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in Kensington, Md., the US, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023,
A British Airways Airbus A320 from Belfast preparing to land at Heathrow flies past the full Moon rising in the sky of London, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
The Supermoon is seen on the sky as a man runs on the street, in Vosloorus, east of Johannesburg, South Africa, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
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