Just a few days after enjoying the period of maximum activity of the Perseids (one of the astronomical events of the year par excellence) a new opportunity presents itself to stop and appreciate a unique spectacle in the sky. In this case the protagonist is the full moonwhich will appear much larger and brighter in the night sky than usual.
It is important to note that this is not a normal full moon, but rather a unique event that deserves attention. The full moon on August 19 is called blue supermoon and we will be able to observe it for the next three nights. We tell you what exactly the blue supermoon is.
It is advisable to be in an area without light pollution to better appreciate the phenomenon.
Supermoon is the term we use to refer to the moment when the full moon is closest to the Earth. The lunar orbit is ellipticalwhich sometimes causes us to see the moon appear much larger and brighter in the sky. This occurs during the perigee, the name given to the point of closest approach. On the other hand, the point at which the moon (or any other orbiting body) is furthest from the center of the Earth is called apogee.
Tonight we will be able to enjoy a phenomenon known as a super blue moon. This is the name used to refer to an astronomical event that combines two different events: The Supermoon and the Blue MoonBut what exactly do we mean when we talk about a blue moon?
The term is not related to the color of the moon, but is used in two different ways. The most common way refers to a full moon that occurs twice in the same month (in that context, a blue moon is the second full moon of the month). Another less common use refers to the third full moon in a season with four full Mondays (instead of the usual three full moons).
The full moon in August is a supermoon, as the Earth’s natural satellite is at its closest point to the center of the Earth. Since there will be four full moons during this season, we refer to the full moon in August as a super blue moon.
When and where to see the blue supermoon
Screenshot of the Light Pollution Map website, where we can check the best locations to see the night sky
National Geographic says we will be able to enjoy the event at 8:26 p.m. (mainland Spain time), although at that time there will still be daylight. Of course, We will be able to observe it throughout the night and until dawn.Although it will be visible from any point in the world, there are some recommendations that should be kept in mind.
When observing any astronomical event it is advisable get away from the centre of big citiesas there is usually more light pollution. For this, it is worth taking a look at tools such as Light Pollution Map, a map that allows us to observe the areas with less light pollution around us.
How to keep track of the different lunar phases with your mobile phone
On both iOS and Android we have access to many astronomy-related applications, such as Stellarium, Star Walk 2 or SkySafari, among others. These applications allow us to keep up to date with major astronomical events from mobile.
If you are interested in knowing when the next full moon will take place, what the moon’s luminosity is or what phase the moon will be in on a given date, The native weather app on iOS can provide you with all this informationOn Android, many weather apps also feature information about the moon phases.
In addition to the above, there are also specific apps with information about the different lunar phases. We have already talked previously about alternatives such as My Moon Phase (available on both Android and iOS), an app that has a large amount of information about the moon.
Cover image | Navi (Unsplash)
Via | NASA and National Geographic