This month, we will be treated to a double feature courtesy of the cosmos: first, we will see two rare supermoons, and then, we will see an extremely uncommon blue moon. At events such as this, you shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to have fun and discover something unexpected. Below, you will find information on the next two supermoons and how you may best prepare for them.
Attend the performance on its first night if at all possible. On Tuesday, August 1, just as the sun is setting in the southeast, a spectacular supermoon will appear in the sky. The result will be that it will give the impression of being much larger and brighter than it actually is. This full Moon has been given the moniker of a “supermoon” because of its extremely close proximity to our planet, which is only 357,530 kilometers (222,159 miles ) away. Wow, that’s incredible, isn’t it?
The first supermoon of this year was visible to us in July of this year. The fourth and final part is scheduled to be released in September of this year. The two that will take place in August will be absolutely massive in relation to the others.
Warm summer nights are the ideal time to watch the full Moon rise in the eastern sky within minutes of sunset. And it happens twice in August, explained retired NASA astrophysicist Fred Espenak, also known as Mr. Eclipse.
The full Moon that occurs in the month of August has historically been referred to as the “sturgeon moon,” as mentioned in the Old Farmer’s Almanac, and it is quite fantastical. This is because, many millennia ago, the month of August in the Great Lakes was home to a particularly abundant population of the sort of fish being discussed here.
Finally, on the evening of August 30, the Moon will reach one of its closest distances to Earth, with a distance of only 357,344 kilometers (222,043 miles) between the two bodies. It is referred to as a “blue moon” when there is a second supermoon that happens throughout the month. This is because it is the third full Moon that occurs during the month.
Don’t forget to bring along your binoculars and backyard telescopes so that you can get a good look at the lunar maria, which are black plains caused by ancient volcanic lava flows, as well as the rays emerging from lunar craters.