A rare super blue moon is coming tonight. When you can see it (2024)

FAQs

What does the rare super blue moon mean? ›

A supermoon is uncommon, and a blue moon is even rarer. But with the full moon tonight, both these events are happening at the same time. In a phenomenon known as a “super blue moon,” Earth's natural satellite will appear both bigger and brighter than usual—and it will highlight some quirks of our calendar.

The next full moon will officially be 100% illuminated at 2:26 p.m. EDT (1826 GMT) on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. But it won't be just any old full moon, it will be a Supermoon Blue Moon! The exact moonrise time will depend on your location. Sounds pretty cool, but what exactly does that mean?

The full moon had been expected to reach its peak on Monday, Aug. 19, at 2:26 p.m. EDT, and it will appear full for three days, NASA said. The Old Farmer's Almanac details specific moonrise times for different ZIP codes across the U.S.

Is the Moon ever blue? On rare occasions, tiny particles in the air ― typically of smoke or dust ― can scatter away red wavelengths of light, causing the Moon to appear blue.

The supermoon may affect our dreams, reignite our passion for change or bring up secrets from the past…

It typically resonates with the concept of growth and wisdom. It's also a time of second chances and renewed opportunities—a cosmic bonus round, if you will. It's a time to set goals and intentions so you can leverage the already amplified energy of the full Moon.

This super blue moon is dubbed after three coinciding cosmic events: a full moon, a supermoon and blue moon. The rare combination occurs when the different cycles of blue and supermoons happen to align on the calendar, said NASA's Noah Petro, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter project scientist.

A blue moon happens every two to three years when there are two full moons within a single calendar month. But a blue moon is also defined as the third full moon in an astronomical season when there are four full moons, with the astronomical seasons beginning and ending at the equinoxes and solstices.

Supermoons occur when a full moon rises during its closest point in its orbit to Earth.

The most rare would be full moons that fall into multiple categories. For example, a “super blood moon” would be when a full moon at or near the part of its orbit where its closest to Earth is fully eclipsed.

What is the rarest moon in 2024? ›

A rare spectacle began Sunday night as an August supermoon blue moon rose into the sky. The first of 2024's four consecutive supermoons, the blue moon - also known as the Sturgeon Moon - was expected to reach peak illumination on Monday and shine brightly through Wednesday.

February, which has only 28 days (29 days in leap years), can never have a blue moon. Months with 31 days—January, March, May, July, August, October, and December—have a much better chance of hosting a blue moon because of their length.

The Bible does not contain any references to the blue moon. A blue moon is the expression used for the second full moon in a calendar month. It is a fairly rare occurrence. There is typically only one full moon in a month, but two full moons in one month occur once about every two or three years.

Owing to the rarity of a blue moon, the term “once in a blue moon” is used colloquially to mean a rare event; such as falling in love.

Why do we call it a blue moon? According to Britannica , the term comes from something being rare, dating back to the 16th century. Having a supermoon and a blue moon together is rare. That's because roughly 25 per cent of all full moons are supermoons , and only three per cent of all full moons are blue moons.

About 25 percent of all full moons are supermoons, but only 3 percent of full moons are blue moons. The time between super blue moons is quite irregular ― it can be as much as 20 years ― but in general, 10 years is the average. The next super blue moons will occur in a pair, in January and March 2037.

In very rare circ*mstances, the Moon can appear blue, but in this case the colour would be caused by viewing the Moon through a haze of dust particles in our atmosphere, perhaps from a recent volcanic eruption. From space, however, the Moon will look just as grey as it always has!

What Are Supermoons & What Do They Mean? A supermoon occurs when the moon is full and gets unusually close to Earth, making it look much larger in the sky. Spiritually, a supermoon tends to boost energy and intensify emotions.

“Once in a blue moon” is a common expression that has been used for a long time, and which means 'not very often,' or 'very rarely. ' It often refers to an extra full moon; however, it has been used to describe the way the moon actually looked, when for different reasons it had turned a blueish color.