A Super Blue Moon, a rare celestial occurrence, will light up the night sky at the end of this month. A Super moon results from this phenomena, which entails the occurrence of two full Moons in the same month when the Moon is also at its closest to Earth. This remarkable occurrence will occur in August 2023, the second Supermoon of the month after the first on August 1.
Supermoons occurs three to four times a year, while Blue Moons, which happen only around 3% of the time and are when two full Moons are seen in a single month, are much more uncommon. The interval between Super Blue Moons can vary, sometimes lasting up to 20 years, although on average it is about ten years. The next Super Blue Moon is anticipated to occur in January or March of 2037.
This spectacular event will be visible to observers in the UAE, with the Moon appearing noticeably bigger and brighter, especially for those with telescopes. There are other paid activities available for a guided experience, including the Blue Moon viewing event presented by the Dubai Astronomy Group.
The Moon’s eccentric orbit around Earth causes it to approach its closest point, known as the perigee, which results in the Supermoon event. From our vantage point, it seems larger when it happens to be a full Moon. Furthermore, the phrase “Blue Moon” refers to the occurrence of two full moons in a single month rather than the colour of the Moon. Rarely, the Moon may seem blue-ish because air elements like smoke or dust can deflect red wavelengths of light.
