Rare blue moon dazzles stargazers in UK

author: FutureCar Staff    

A rare super blue moon has made its appearance over the UK, offering stargazers a unique phenomenon that will only occur once this year.

Contrary to its name, a blue moon is not named after its color but rather refers to the second full moon in a single calendar month.

Typically, most months only have one full moon, making a second one a relatively uncommon event that happens approximately every two or three years.

Although it was expected to rise at around 8pm (BST) on Thursday and set at around 6am (BST) the following day, the super blue moon actually shone on Wednesday night, appearing larger than usual.

The best time to catch a glimpse of the super blue moon is when local conditions are favorable for a clear sky, such as low cloud cover, good weather, and no obstructions on the horizon like buildings or trees.

Professor Don Pollacco, an astronomer from the Department of Physics at the University of Warwick, explained that the apparent size of the Moon can be similar to that of the Sun due to the Moon's smaller size and closer proximity to Earth.

He further elaborated that super moons occur when there is a full moon at the time when the Moon is closest to the Earth, resulting in a moon that looks bigger (10-15%) and brighter (25-30%) than a normal full moon.

According to Professor Pollacco, the moon is so bright that it can be seen even when it's not particularly dark or if the weather isn't particularly clear. It will be visible throughout the night and set in the west around sunrise.

Dr. Greg Brown, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, explained that August brings the convergence of two rare events in astronomy: a blue moon and a supermoon.

However, the definitions of both events are somewhat complex and not universally agreed upon. The most common definition of a blue moon is that it is the second full moon in a single calendar month.

On the other hand, a supermoon is a full moon that occurs when the moon is in the closest part of its orbit around the Earth, although the exact proximity required for it to be considered "super" is a matter of debate.

During this time, the Moon will appear slightly larger and brighter than usual, although the difference may be difficult to perceive with the naked eye.

FutureCar Staff