Double supermoon spectacle for skywatchers this August starting tonight
A rare Moon event will grace our skies this August, with two supermoons occurring within the same month. The first supermoon will appear today (August 1), while the second, which is expected to be the closest, biggest, and brightest of the year, will occur on August 31. This extraordinary phenomenon hasn't happened since 2018, making it an exciting celestial event for stargazers.
Get ready to witness a 'blue moon'
The second supermoon is also being referred to as a 'blue moon,' a term that colloquially describes an impossible event. After a volcanic eruption in the 1800s caused the Moon to appear blueish, the phrase began to represent a rare occurrence. Nowadays, a blue moon refers to either four full moons within a single season or a second full moon in one calendar month.
How will the new Moon sightings differ from normal?
Today, the Moon will appear 7.1% bigger and 15.6% brighter than the average full moon. Meanwhile, the sighting on August 31, will be marginally larger and more luminous compared to tonight's view. To witness these two, you can either head outside or watch the stunning live telecast of the Moon rising over Rome's Colosseum, done by astronomer Gianluca Masi.
An orange hue may be seen
During the double supermoon event, the Moon may appear more orange than blue. This is because full moons in August tend to be lower on the horizon, causing shorter wavelengths of light, like blue, to scatter through the atmosphere and allowing longer wavelengths like red and orange to dominate. This will make for a captivating sight. So, mark your calendars and get ready.
