August, already a month filled with celestial delights, has one last gift for stargazers: a second full moon. But this isn’t just any old full moon.
Tonight (Wednesday 30th August), the night sky will be graced by a rare event, a Super Blue Moon. The last time this occurred was in 2009 and it won’t happen again until 2037.
According to the BBC, here the UK the peak time to step outside to view it will be 02:35 on Thursday morning.
Understanding the Super Blue Moon
Despite its intriguing name, the moon will not actually look blue. The term “Blue Moon” is somewhat of a misnomer. It doesn’t denote the moon’s colour, but rather its frequency.
A Blue Moon refers to the occurrence of two full moons within the same calendar month, as is the case this August.
Alternatively, it can also describe the third full moon in a season that boasts four of them.
A closer look at the Supermoon phenomenon
Complementing the Blue Moon phenomenon, the term “supermoon” is also part of this lunar event’s title.
A supermoon is a full moon that manifests when our celestial neighbour is nearer to Earth in its elliptical orbit.
This proximity results in the moon presenting itself in a slightly magnified and more luminous fashion than usual.
A breathtaking celestial spectacle
Together, the two phenomena make for a Super Blue Moon, a celestial spectacle that is not only rare but also breathtaking for those lucky enough to witness it.
For those with an interest in the night sky, the early hours of Thursday promise to be a time to remember.
See the BBC article by Science reporter, Georgina Rannard, for more detail.
Image: nacho monge under CC BY 2.0
