Avast ye, me hearties! This August, ye shall behold 2 splendid supermoons, one bein' a rare blue moon. Prepare ye knowledge!
2023-07-18
Avast ye scurvy landlubbers! NASA be shoutin' from the crow's nest that next month there be not one, but two supermoons a-comin'! A blue moon be settin' sail on Aug. 30, followin' the grand peak of the sturgeon moon on Aug. 1. Prepare ye spyglasses for a marvel in the night sky!
In the month of August, there will be two supermoons, one of which is a blue moon. According to NASA, the full sturgeon moon will rise in the east just 30 minutes after sunset on the first day of the month. The Farmers' Almanac predicts that it will reach its peak at 2:32 p.m. ET. This moon is called the sturgeon moon because it's when the large fish were abundant in the Great Lakes. It was also known as the green corn moon.In other moon-related news, an Indian spacecraft is embarking on a mission to the far side of the moon after a failed attempt nearly four years ago. By August 16, the moon will have gone through a crescent phase. The blue sturgeon moon, which refers to the second full moon in any month, will occur on August 30. It is expected to be the biggest moon of the year, peaking at 9:36 p.m. ET.
The Webb Space Telescope recently marked its first year of science with a marvelous new image. The phrase "once in a blue moon" is used to describe rare occurrences because most months only have one full moon. However, occasionally there will be two in a month, giving rise to the term. On average, we see a blue moon every three years, with the next one set for May 2026.
Additionally, a supermoon occurs when the moon's orbit is closest to the Earth at the same time that the moon is full. So keep an eye out for these celestial events in the month of August!