A blue moon is the second full moon within a calendar month or the third of four full moons in a season.Despite the name, it doesn't refer to the moon's color, but rather its occurrence.
Why "Super Blue" Moon?
A "super blue moon" occurs when a full moon coincides with its closest approach to Earth in its orbit (perigee).
Super moon appear about 16% brighter and larger than regular full moons.The term "super blue" arises from the combination of being both a super moon and a blue moon.
Viewing Times in Different Locations:
London: Moonrise at 8:24 p.m. BST, sunset at 7:52 p.m. BST, on August 31, full Moon at 1:37 a.m. BST.
New York: Moonrise at 7:45 p.m. EDT, sunset at 7:36 p.m. EDT, full Moon at 8:37 p.m. EDT.Los Angeles: Moonrise and sunset at 7:36 p.m. PDT, full Moon at 5:37 p.m. PDT.
Blue Supermoon Rarity:
NASA states that blue supermoon are exceptionally uncommon.These occurrences are infrequent, typically happening about once every decade due to specific astronomical conditions.Occasionally, the gap between blue supermoons can extend to as much as twenty years.
Blue moons constitute only 3% of all full moons, while supermoon make up around 25% of full moons.The frequency of super blue moons is notably unpredictable, sometimes spanning up to 20 years between instances, though the average interval is typically around 10 years.
Looking ahead, the next instances of super blue moons are projected for 2037, appearing in pairs during January and March.