What is a blue moon? How to see the rare double lunar event this August - the last of its kind this decade
1 August 2023, 10:56 | Updated: 1 August 2023, 11:03
Stargazers are preparing for a rare event this month - with a blue moon set to appear for the last time this decade.
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Two supermoons are set to appear throughout August in an event that will not occur again until the 2030s.
The spectacle will be visible across the UK as the full moon reaches its closest point to Earth.
What is a supermoon?
A supermoon is a full moon which appears larger in the sky because it is closer to the Earth.
The first will appear shortly after sunset at a distance of around 222,159 miles (357,530km).
What is a blue moon?
Despite its name, a blue moon does not appear blue - though it is possible if there has been major disruption to the Earth’s atmosphere.
It simply refers to the second appearance of a full moon in a calendar month.
Nasa previously said: “The key to a blue moon is having in the air lots of particles slightly wider than the wavelength of red light (0.7 micron) – and no other sizes present.
“This is rare, but volcanoes sometimes spit out such clouds, as do forest fires.”
With extreme weather conditions having caused several wildfires across the world, there is a chance that it will appear blue.
When will the supermoons appear?
The first supermoon will appear on Tuesday, August 1.
An even bigger supermoon - the blue moon - will then be visible on August 30.
How can I see the supermoons?
The supermoons will be hard to miss in the night sky.
They will be noticeably brighter, with the only obstacle likely to be weather.
"So long as there's not too much cloud, the full Moon will be an unmistakable white orb in the sky," Royal Museums Greenwich (RMG) said.
"This is a good opportunity to use a small telescope or a pair of binoculars to see the Moon's detailed surface, or even try taking a few interesting moon photos.
"However, you can see the Moon perfectly well with just your eyes."
