(Nexstar) – A rare blue supermoon -The closest full moon of the year–dazzling people gazing at the starry sky on Wednesday night.
Saturn has joined the sky scene, visible alongside the Moon, at least in places with clear skies.
according to In the skythis weekend will also provide a unique viewing opportunity as Saturn will be closest to Earth directly opposite the Sun, making it appear large and bright.
This week’s blue supermoon is second full moon It’s a blue label because it’s for August. And because it was unusually close to Earth, it was a supermoon.
A blue supermoon sets over the White Mountain National Forest in Carroll County, New Hampshire, on Thursday, August 31, 2023. The next blue Superman won’t appear until 2037. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
A rare blue supermoon rises over Lake Michigan as spectators watch from Chicago’s 31st Street Beach on Wednesday, August 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
A man watches a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Pittsburgh Pirates from the upper deck as the moon rises in the distance on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. This moon is a rare blue supermoon, and has been named the “supermoon.” It was labeled blue because it was the second full moon in August, and it was a supermoon because it was unusually close to Earth. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A supermoon, a blue moon, rises from behind thick clouds near the Angel Moroni statue atop the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, in Kensington, Maryland. The curtain of the universe has risen. Wednesday night with the second full moon of the month, which is why it’s considered blue. It is called a supermoon because it is closer to Earth than usual and appears particularly large and bright. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
A full moon rises over the outfield sign during the Kansas City Royals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. This moon is a rare blue supermoon, hence the name “Supermoon.” It was labeled blue because it was the second full moon in August, and it was a supermoon because it was unusually close to Earth. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
A blue supermoon rises between Salesforce Tower and the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco on Wednesday, August 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
A supermoon rises behind Arthur Ashe Stadium at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center during the second round of the U.S. Open Tennis Championships on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, in New York. A rare blue supermoon (the closest full moon this year) left stargazers winking Wednesday night. It was the second full moon in August, so it was Blue Label. And because it was unusually close to Earth, it was a supermoon. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandes)
A full moon rises over the Martyrs’ Statue in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, August 30, 2023. On August 30th, we will see the second supermoon of the month. At this time, the full moon will be slightly closer to the Earth, so it will appear slightly larger and brighter. . (AP Photo/Hussein Mara)
A supermoon rises behind the medieval castle of Kremci in Kyllini, Peloponnese, Greece, on Wednesday, August 30, 2023. Wednesday night’s second full moon of the month opened the curtain on the universe, which is why it’s thought to be blue. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakoulis)
People watch the supermoon rise over Lisbon on Wednesday, August 30, 2023. It’s the second supermoon of the month, and the full moon will be slightly closer to Earth, making it appear a little bigger and brighter. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)
The moon, known as a blue moon, rises behind the small village of Ujue in northern Spain on Wednesday, August 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)
A supermoon rises above headstones at a cemetery in Sydney, Australia, on Thursday, August 31, 2023. This month’s second full moon, also known as a blue moon, opened the curtain on the universe. Because it is located slightly closer to Earth, it is slightly larger and brighter. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
A woman sees a supermoon in the sky as she walks along the street in Voslools, east of Johannesburg, South Africa, Wednesday, August 30, 2023. The second supermoon of the month will be seen on August 30th, making the full moon appear slightly larger. Because it is located slightly closer to Earth, it will be brighter. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
A supermoon will rise behind the Aioi Anargiloi Orthodox Church near Ayia Napa and Protaras on the island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean on Wednesday, August 30, 2023. The reason for this is thought to be the blue, which opened on Wednesday night with the second full moon of the month. It is called a supermoon because it is closer to Earth than usual and appears particularly large and bright. (AP Photo/Petros Karagias)
A supermoon will rise over Montevideo, Uruguay on Wednesday, August 30, 2023. On Wednesday night, the universe opened with the second full moon of the month, also known as a blue moon. (AP Photo/Mathilde Campodonico)
A supermoon will rise over the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Thursday, August 31, 2023. The curtain rose on the universe with this month’s second full moon, also known as a blue moon. Because it is located slightly closer to Earth, it is slightly larger and brighter. (AP Photo/Vincent Tian)
An Akuncu unmanned aerial vehicle passes in front of the supermoon during a demonstration flight on the opening day of the Technofest technology and aerospace festival in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, August 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Emra Gurel)
A supermoon rises over the houses of Gaza City on Wednesday, August 30, 2023. The curtain on the universe opened on Wednesday night with the second full moon of the month, which is why it’s thought to be blue. It is called a supermoon because it is closer to Earth than usual and appears particularly large and bright. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)
A supermoon rises over the Mediterranean Sea on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, as a boat passes over Konos Bay near Ayia Napa and Protaras in eastern Cyprus. On Wednesday night, the universe opened with a second full moon. The moon, why it is considered blue. It is called a supermoon because it is closer to Earth than usual and appears particularly large and bright. (AP Photo/Petros Karagias)
A full moon rises behind the Galata Tower on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. Wednesday night’s second full moon of the month opened the curtain on the universe, which is why it’s thought to be blue. It is called a supermoon because it is closer to Earth than usual and appears particularly large and bright. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
A supermoon rises over the Colosseum in Rome on Wednesday, August 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
A supermoon rises in the sky over Gaza City on Wednesday, August 30, 2023. The curtain on the universe opened on Wednesday night with the second full moon of the month, which is why it’s thought to be blue. It is called a supermoon because it is closer to Earth than usual and appears particularly large and bright. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)
A supermoon will rise behind the ancient Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, about 70 kilometers (45 miles) south of Athens, Greece, on Wednesday, August 30, 2023. The cosmic curtain rose on Wednesday night with the second full moon of the month. Why is it considered blue? It is called a supermoon because it is closer to Earth than usual and appears particularly large and bright. (AP Photo/Thanasis Stavrakis)
August’s super blue moon sets behind historic buildings and St. Basil’s Cathedral (right) as people walk on Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, August 30, 2023. The cosmic curtain will rise on Wednesday night with the second full moon. The moon, why it is considered blue. It is called a supermoon because it is closer to Earth than usual and appears particularly large and bright. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlyanichenko)
A supermoon rises near the equestrian statue of Damdin Sukhbaatar on Sukhbaatar Square in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Wednesday, August 30, 2023. August 30th is the second supermoon of the month, and it will appear a little bigger and brighter thanks to the moon being slightly closer to full. Position relative to the earth. (AP Photo/Ng Hang-guan)
A peacock sits on a chimney as a nearly full moon rises behind it on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 in Hyderabad, India. in hyderabad, india. The second supermoon of the month will be seen on August 30th, making the full moon appear a little bigger and brighter. A little closer to the earth. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
The moon appeared larger and brighter than normal considering it is only 222,043 miles (357,344 kilometers) from Earth. The Aug. 1 supermoon was more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away.
But is the moon really blue? According to NASAIn rare cases, small particles such as smoke or dust suspended in the air can scatter red light waves, making the moon appear blue.
According to NASA, about a quarter of the year’s full moons are supermoons, but only 3% of full moons are blue moons.
If you missed this week’s blue supermoon, you’ll be in for a long wait. Next he won’t be there until 2037. But another regular supermoon is approaching at the end of September, his last supermoon of the year.
Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Strictly Necessary Cookies
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.