(NEW YORK) — After the Perseid meteor shower earlier this month, August offers another great astronomical sight – the rare combination of a supermoon and a blue moon.
Starting August 19, the super blue moon will peak at 2:26 p.m. ET. Since this is daylight in the U.S., Americans will have to wait until the evening to see the moon slightly past its peak, while it will still be noticeably larger and brighter than a typical lunar viewing.
According to NASA, the super blue moon will appear full for three days.
It is extremely rare for a supermoon to coincide with a blue moon, reports the space agency. The next pairing will take place in January and March 2037.
What is a supermoon?
Supermoons are the largest and brightest lunar phenomena of the year. They occur when the moon’s orbit does not exceed 90% of its closest approach to Earth, according to NASA.
When the Moon is at its closest to Earth, it can appear about 14% larger and 30% brighter than at its farthest point in its orbit, at a distance of about 363,000 kilometers.
The term “supermoon” was originally coined in 1979 by astrologer Richard Nolle.
Supermoons occur three to four times a year, one after the other, according to NASA. Starting this month, the next three full moons will be supermoons.
The next supermoons will occur on September 17, October 17 and November 15.
What is a blue moon?
Despite their name, blue moons have less to do with color and more to do with timing. There are two types of blue moons – seasonal and monthly – and the blue moon on August 19 is seasonal.
A seasonal blue moon is the third full moon in an astrological season with four full moons, while a monthly blue moon refers to the second of two full moons in the same month.
The next seasonal blue moon is expected in May 2027, according to NASA.
Although the super blue moon on August 19 will not be blue, it has appeared blue on rare occasions. According to NASA, this occurs when tiny particles in the air, usually smoke or dust, scatter red wavelengths of light, making the moon appear blue.
How rare is a super blue moon?
While supermoons and seasonal blue moons are more common in the night sky individually, the combination of the two is quite irregular, according to NASA.
The time span between super blue moons can be up to 20 years, but the average is 10 years. However, there was also a super blue moon in August 2023.
After August 19, the next super blue moons will occur in pairs in January and March 2037.
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