On August 30, the night sky will be graced by a unique celestial event: the super blue moon. Here is all you need to know about the blue moon.
Super Blue Moon 2023: The amazing ‘once in a blue moon’ celestial spectacle will grace the skies on the night of August 30, so mark your calendars and gaze up to witness the beautiful super blue moon. This Wednesday will be a memorable event since we will be celebrating Raksha Bandhan during the day and seeing the largest and brightest moon of the year at night.
It is predicted to reach its peak around 9:36 p.m. ET or 7:06 a.m. IST. Contrary to its name, the moon will seem orange in the shade rather than blue in color. While this sounds thrilling, many people have a question: What precisely is a blue moon, and how frequently does this phenomenon appear in our skies? Do not be concerned; we are here to assist you. Continue reading to learn more about this heavenly marvel.
What exactly is a blue moon?
There are two types of blue moons, but sadly, neither is related with hue. According to NASA, a seasonal blue moon is defined as the third full moon in a season with four full moons, following the common definition of a blue moon. A monthly blue moon, on the other hand, refers to the second full moon that occurs inside a single calendar month and was created as a result of a misinterpretation of the original term.
According to Time and Date, the monthly blue moon has grown into an accepted definition of a blue moon rather than being seen as a misunderstanding. The Moon, on the other hand, takes 29.5 days to complete each phase, for a total of 354 days for 12 complete cycles. Because there are only roughly 366 days in a year, the 13th full moon occurs every two and a half years. This extra full moon is referred to as a “blue moon” since it does not fit into the conventional naming scheme.Â
How frequently does a blue moon occur?
A blue moon is a very unusual event. A full moon occurs every 29 days on average. Because most months have 30 or 31 days, a month may occasionally have two full moons. Blue moons occur around every two and a half years. In 2018, there were two blue moons within two months of each other, one of which was a lunar eclipse! A blue moon and a supermoon combine on the same night roughly every ten years; the next occasion will be in January and March 2037, which is 14 years away.
