Turn your eyes to the skies this week for a special celestial sight: a rare blue supermoon. If you're an avid stargazer, you may remember the buzz around this occurrence happening last year, too. For it to happen twice in two years is very special, and we'd better make the most of it because the next time we'll be graced with its presence won't be for a while.
What is a blue supermoon?
A blue supermoon is actually two separate celestial events happening at the same time. A blue moon is a term used to describe the rare occasion when two full moons occur in one month. Though the last full moon was in July, the August full moon is still considered by the night sky experts at NASA as a blue moon – and as they're the authority on this kind of stuff, we'll take their word for it. A full moon gets upgraded to supermoon status when it’s at the closest point to Earth during its orbit. But despite the name, the moon won't actually be blue – if anything it'll appear more red or yellow in colour.
When can I see the blue supermoon in Melbourne?
According to NASA, the supermoon will appear full for three days, until early Wednesday morning. But the best time for stargazers Down Under is on the evening of Monday, August 19, from about 6pm. And Melbourne's skies are looking perfectly clear at the moment, which is the primo condition for lunar viewing.
When is the next blue supermoon in Melbourne?
We'd recommend that you take in this majestic sight while you can, because the next time a blue supermoon will appear won't be for at least another three years. Supermoons occur three or four times a year, with this one being the first of four consecutive supermoons in 2024 (with the full moons in September and October set to appear as the largest moons of the year based on their proximity to Earth).
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