Supermoon: How to see the phenomenon? – 08/31/2023 – Science

Three different terms are used to describe the spectacular Moon seen on the night of Wednesday (30/8) to Thursday.

The phenomenon, incidentally, may be observed again, although with less intensity, from Thursday to Friday (9/1).

We’re talking here about the full moon, the supermoon, and the blue moon—what many have simply called a “superblue moon.”

Next, we explain what this phenomenon is and how to observe it.

What is a supermoon?

The Moon travels around our planet in an elliptical orbit, that is, as if it made an elongated circle.

In these laps, the Moon and the Earth are closer to one side of the ellipse, as explained by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), from the United States.

Each month, the Moon passes through the closest point to Earth (called the perigee) and the farthest point from Earth (the apogee).

When the Moon is at perigee and can be seen in full (the full Moon), this phenomenon is called a “supermoon”.

And why is this a blue moon?

“Blue moon” is the commonly used term for times when we see the full moon twice in the same month.

That’s because the Moon’s cycle is 29.5 days—that is, slightly shorter than the average length of a month on our standard 30- or 31-day calendar.

When the full moon happens right at the beginning of a month, there are enough days left for a complete lunar cycle. With that, there will still be a second full moon at the end of this same month, around the 30th or 31st (as happens now in August).

In other words, a full moon that occurs on the first or second day of a month is likely to be followed by a second full moon on the 30th or 31st. This happens every two to three years, NASA explains.

People sometimes refer to two types of Blue Moons: monthly and seasonal.

The current Blue Moon fits into the monthly category.

Seasonal blue moons occur when there are four full moons in a single season (spring, summer, autumn or winter), instead of the three expected for each season.

Does the moon really turn blue?

No, clarifies NASA. That’s just the name given to the two full moons that occur in a month.

However, on rare occasions, small particles in the air (usually from smoke or dust) can scatter red wavelengths of light, causing the Moon to appear slightly bluish.

Does this moon look bigger?

Yes. The Moon is currently located about 360,000 km away from Earth, which makes it appear 14% brighter and larger than its regular size, points out NASA.

Normally, our natural satellite is at a distance of approximately 405,000 km.

Do blue moons and supermoons always occur together?

About 25% of all full moons are supermoons, but only 3% of full moons are also blue moons, says NASA.

The time between blue supermoons varies – it can take up to 20 years between one and another – but in general the average is ten years.

The next blue supermoons will only occur in January and March 2037.

How can the blue supermoon be observed?

In much of the world, the Super Blue Moon was seen without the need for binoculars or telescopes between the 30th and 31st of August. In many places with favorable weather conditions, it is enough to look at the sky.

The phenomenon can be seen again on the night between August 31st and September 1st, but at a lower intensity.

Although the Moon can be observed from the moment it appears over the horizon until the early hours of the morning, there is an exact moment to see it in its maximum splendor.

That exact moment of the full Moon is defined as the point at which the satellite is 180 degrees from the Sun, completely opposite our star in the sky above Earth.

In Brazil, this occurred around 22:30 in Brasilia time on the night of 30 to 31/8.

NASA has a special website with details and recommendations on what to look for during the analysis of our natural satellite.

The text was originally published here.