August’s Blue Moon, the first of four consecutive supermoons in 2024, will appear full from Sunday to Wednesday, providing astronomy fans with a rare spectacle when looking up at the sky.
The full moon will reach its peak brightness at 2:26 p.m. EDT on Monday, but it will appear full for three days, NASA said. The Old Farmer’s Almanac gives exact moonrise times for various zip codes across the U.S.
When and how can you see the peak of the blue moon in the August supermoon?
Although the full moon will reach its peak at 2:26 p.m. EDT on Monday afternoon, it won’t appear full until Sunday morning, according to NASA. It will continue to appear full through Wednesday morning.
According to NASA, about 98 percent of the front side of the moon will be illuminated by the sun on Sunday. The next day, 100 percent of the front side of the moon will be illuminated, and on Tuesday, about 99 percent will be illuminated by the sun.
The moon can be observed with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope.
What is a supermoon?
According to NASA, supermoons occur when the moon’s orbit is closest to Earth and the moon is full at the same time. The moon’s distance from Earth varies from about 356,957 to 407,457 kilometers.
During the supermoon peak this month, the moon will be about 223,000 miles (360,900 kilometers) from Earth. In September, it will be even closer to Earth: about 227,000 miles (367,400 kilometers). In October, the full moon will be about 227,000 miles (367,400 kilometers) from Earth. The last supermoon in the series – the one in November – will be about 223,000 miles (360,900 kilometers) from Earth.
Supermoons appear larger than the average full moon, about the size difference between a quarter and a nickel, according to NASA. They are also about 16% brighter than the average moon.
When are the next supermoons this year?
The full moon in August is the first of four consecutive supermoons this year. The full moon in September reaches its brightest on Tuesday, September 17th. It is known as the Harvest Moon.
The following month’s full moon, known as the Hunter’s Moon, peaks on Thursday, October 17. The final supermoon will be November’s Beaver Moon, which peaks on Friday, November 15.
According to NASA, the full moons in September and October are essentially the closest full moons to us during the year.
Will the blue moon look blue?
The August full moon is not only a supermoon. It’s also a blue moon, but anyone hoping to see a shade like sky blue, cobalt blue, or navy blue when looking at the moon is out of luck. The term blue moon has two meanings when it comes to solar phenomena, and neither of them has anything to do with color.
A blue moon is the third full moon in a season with four full moons, as is the case with the full moon this August, according to NASA. The term is also used to refer to the second full moon in a month with two full moons.
Does the full moon in August have a special name?
The full moon in August is the Sturgeon Moon, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. The name comes from the giant lake sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain, which could be easily caught during this time of summer.
This month’s full moon is also known as the Red Moon, Corn or Green Corn Moon, Barley Moon, Herb Moon, Grain Moon and Dog Moon, according to NASA.
