This August 31, 2023 is marked by a full moon that's a bit unusual, since it's said to be blue! This rare phenomenon has nothing to do with the color of the Earth's satellite - contrary to what its name suggests, of course. If you ever see a blue moon, you'd better start worrying! Its color will be totally normal, and we still don't really know why it bears this particular name.
One hypothesis evokes the explosion of the Krakatoa volcano in Indonesia in 1883. The cloud of ash that covered the sky filtered out red light, making the moon appear blue for almost a year! In England, the"blue moon" is a much-used expression that defines an unusual event. But what exactly is a blue moon? There are usually 12 full moons in a year, occurring approximately every 29.5 days.
But sometimes, a thirteenth full moon manages to slip into the calendar, with two full moons in a single month! After the one in 2021, we're experiencing a new blue moon, not to be missed, as we'll have to wait until May 31, 2026 to catch a glimpse of it. It's also a Super Moon, the third of the summer and the penultimate! The star will appear slightly larger than normal, but above all brighter to the naked eye.
Described as 14% larger and 30% brighter than a classic Super Moon, it occurs when the Moon is closest to its orbit, at perigee. To observe it at its best, you'll need to take out your telescope on August 31, 2023, at around 3:35 a.m., and hope for clear skies and mild, pleasant weather.
Moon, shooting stars, eclipse: what not to miss in the sky this year 2024
Discover all the celestial events not to be missed in 2024. Between super moons, shooting stars and eclipses, the sky has plenty of surprises in store for us. [Read more]
Moon, shooting stars, eclipse: what not to miss in the sky this year 2024
