this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2023
20 points (100.0% liked)
Aotearoa / New Zealand
1657 readers
4 users here now
Kia ora and welcome to !newzealand, a place to share and discuss anything about Aotearoa in general
- For politics , please use !politics@lemmy.nz
- Shitposts, circlejerks, memes, and non-NZ topics belong in !offtopic@lemmy.nz
- If you need help using Lemmy.nz, go to !support@lemmy.nz
- NZ regional and special interest communities
Rules:
FAQ ~ NZ Community List ~ Join Matrix chatroom
Banner image by Bernard Spragg
Got an idea for next month's banner?
founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
A super blue moon is a rare combination of three lunar events: a full moon, a blue moon, and a supermoon.
A full moon occurs when the Earth is directly between the sun and the moon, and the entire side of the moon facing the Earth is illuminated by the sun.
A blue moon is the second full moon in a calendar month. (The term "blue moon" originally referred to the third full moon in a season with four full moons, but this definition is no longer in common use.)
A supermoon is a full moon that occurs when the moon is at perigee, its closest point to Earth in its orbit.
The next super blue moon will occur on August 30, 2023. It will be the second full moon in August, and it will also be a supermoon.
Super blue moons are rare events, but they are not unheard of. The last super blue moon occurred in January 2018, and the next one will not occur until March 2037.
When a super blue moon occurs, the moon appears slightly larger and brighter than a regular full moon. This is because the moon is closer to Earth, and its light is therefore less dispersed by the Earth's atmosphere.
Super blue moons are a beautiful sight to behold, and they are a rare treat for skywatchers. If you have the chance to see one, be sure to take it!