Ever heard of the phrase ‘once in a blue moon’? Used to describe the most unusual, bizarre and unlikely of occasions, this term is dolled out for only the rarest of situations (eg: Sydney transport has a day without delays once in a blue moon). You get our point, but wonderfully – an actual, real-life blue supermoon is coming to Sydney this August. And better yet it’s not just one moon, but two. This is not a drill.
A blue moon (despite its deceptive name) is not actually blue. Rather, it refers to when two full moons appear in the space of one calendar month. This year in August, everyone Down Under and across the world will be treated to the stunning sight of two very bright full moons lighting up the heavens.
When can I see the blue supermoon in Sydney?
In Sydney, the supermoon will appear overhead on both August 30 and August 31. It will arrive at exactly 11.36am in Sydney's skies, with astronomers saying the best time for us all to see it at dusk, just as the moon begins rising.
Look up after sunset on both Wednesday, August 30 and Thursday, August 31 to see the moon at its biggest.
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This full moon is the second seen in Sydney this month, making it a 'blue moon'.
This week's supermoon will reportedly be the biggest moon of the year, and will probably also be pretty spectacularly bright. This week's moon will look seven per cent bigger than usual. The next time this same celestial phenomena happens, it will be 2029.
If we know one thing for sure, it’s that when a blue moon comes around, we want to be there to see it.