When exactly is the next supermoon Blue Moon?
As we prepare for the Supermoon Blue Moon on Monday, August 19 where it is officially 100% full at 2:26 p.m. EDT (6:26 p.m. GMT). Some of you who are astute readers may be wondering, “Wait, at last year’s Blue Moon, you said the next Blue Moon would be in 2037, making it a once-in-a-decade event?” And you would be right. Well, kind of… it’s complicated.
The term “Blue Moon” actually has two meanings, so they’re not quite as rare as you might think. So much for “once in a blue moon”, right?
A seasonal blue moon is the traditional definition of a Blue Moon and refers to the third full moon in a season which, according to NASA, has four full moons. The second definition – which arose from a misunderstanding of the original definition – is the monthly blue moonwith reference to the second full moon in a calendar monthToday, this monthly Blue Moon is accepted as an alternative definition rather than an error, according to Time and date.
A supermoon is more common and simply refers to any full moon that occurs when the moon is within 90% of its closest approach to Earth, according to NASA. This year, there will be four supermoons in a row: on August 19, September 17, October 17, and November 15. The next supermoon of 2024 will be on October 17 at 7:26 a.m. EDT (11:26 a.m. GMT).
The next supermoon Blue Moon according to the monthly blue moon Definition will indeed occur on January 31, 2037at 10:03 a.m. EST (2:03 p.m. GMT).
But the next supermoon Blue Moon according to the seasonal blue moon Definition will be made on 19 August 2024, at 2:26 p.m. EDT (6:26 p.m. GMT). After that, we won’t see another supermoon (blue moon) (according to the seasonal definition) until August 20, 2032.
After Monday’s full moon, we’ll have to wait at least 8 years for the next supermoon (blue moon), so if you can, get out and see it shine! The moon will still appear full on the nights before and after August 19th.
Our Guide to Moon Observation can tell you everything you need to know about observing our lunar companion and our Guide to the Apollo landing sites helps you find out where astronauts, rovers and landers have entered another world.
Originally published on Space.com.
