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The August Blue Moon will shine brightly at 2:35am BST on August 31
Despite its name, the Moon will not turn blue and will retain its usual shade of gray.
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Skies around the world will be lit by a ‘Blue Moon’ this week in a spectacle marking the end of August.
Stargazers are in luck as the third supermoon of the year will rise on the eve of August 30 at 9:36pm EDT and 2:35am BST (in the early hours of August 31).
Despite its name, the Moon will retain its usual gray hue during the event, but can appear up to 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than normal.
Instead, the “blue” actually refers to the fact that it is the second Full Moon of the month, after the “Sturgeon Moon” that rose on August 1.
“Supermoons are often given names that often have regional or historical significance: a supermoon in August is apparently a sturgeon supermoon,” explained Professor Don Pollacco of the University of Warwick.
The third Supermoon of the year will rise on the eve of August 30 at 9:36pm EDT and 2:35am BST (start of August 31).
“Since the orbital period of the Moon around the Earth is 29.5 days, two full moons are possible in a normal month.
‘As this Full Moon first occurred in early August, a second Full Moon may occur later on the same moon. This is called the Blue Moon and gives rise to the expression we use to express the rarity of events.’
A Supermoon occurs when the Full Moon nearly coincides with its perigee, the point in the Moon’s orbit where it is closest to Earth.
“Supermoon is a popular term that indicates a full moon or a new moon that occurs when our satellite is close to its perigee, that is, its minimum distance from Earth,” explained astrophysicist Giana Masi.
“The term itself has no scientific value: astronomers prefer to call it a perigee full moon, but ‘supermoon’ is certainly a much more charming name by far.”
According to NASA, there are two types of ‘Blue Moon’ in the world of astronomy, including a calendar Blue Moon and a seasonal Blue Moon.
The latter describes the third full moon of four in an astronomical season, which means that a calendar year has 13 full moons instead of the usual 12.
But Wednesday’s event actually falls into the “calendar category” as the second Full Moon of August, after the Sturgeon Moon on August 1.
Generally, these occur every two to three years, with the latest occurring in August 2021..
While it won’t change color this time, many say the Moon appeared blue for months after the powerful volcanic eruption of Krakatoa in Indonesia in 1883.
Ash from the explosion rose up to 50 miles into Earth’s atmosphere, and the particles scattered blue light and made the Moon appear blue, too.
A supermoon occurs when the full moon nearly coincides with its perigee, the point in the moon’s orbit where it is closest to Earth.
Generally, a Blue Moon occurs every two or three years, the last in August 2021.
To get a good view of the Moon on Wednesday, experts recommend staying away from towns and cities and toward areas with clear skies.
Turning off the lights in your house can also improve visibility, although your chances are highly dependent on the weather and even pollution.
Professor Don Pollacco added: ‘To see the full moon, look to the east after sunset. If you have a clear horizon, it should be obvious.
“The Moon is so bright that we can see it when it is not especially dark or even if the weather is not especially clear.
“It will be visible all night and set in the west around sunrise.”