Tonight, all eyes will be on the sky in anticipation of the blue supermoon, scheduled to appear on August 19, 2024. But what is it?
A supermoon occurs when the full moon is closest to Earth in its orbit and therefore appears larger and brighter than “normal” – about 7% larger and 15% brighter than the average full moon.
A full moon occurs when the moon is directly opposite the sun as it rotates around the earth and appears fully illuminated from our perspective here on earth. For many, this is a powerful astrological event as many believe the moon’s powers are amplified and higher than usual.
What is a blue moon?
The phrase “blue moon” has two meanings: In this case, a seasonal blue moon refers to the third full moon in a season with four full moons. Given that each season is about three months long, you would normally have three moons per season, but if you end up with four in a season, the third full moon is called a blue.
A complete lunar cycle lasts 29.5 days. This means that most months have one full moon, but a month can have two full moons.
The second meaning of a blue moon is when there are two full moons in a calendar month or four full moons in a season. That is why it is called a blue moon, and that is why the saying “once in a blue moon” means something that is rare.
Why is it red and not blue?
Due to the many wildfires currently raging around the world – from the USA to Greece – the dust from these fires may give the moon a red glow rather than the “blue” hue one might expect from its name.
When can we expect the blue supermoon?
The blue supermoon is expected to appear on August 19, 2024. The sun will set in the UK at 8.14pm tonight, so you can expect to see the moon in the sky from then on. The key is to avoid places with light pollution such as main roads or cities and hope the skies are clear!
When are the other supermoons this year?
There will be four supermoons in 2024:
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19 August
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18 September
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17 October
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15 November
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