August is probably the favorite month of the year for many Portuguese. After all, it’s when summer is at its peak, the thermometers allow for long afternoons spent by the sea… In short, the possibilities are more than many. However, it’s also a great time to enjoy astronomical phenomena such as the Super Blue Moon.
After Strawberry Full Moon and Deer Full Moon as well as the peak activity of the Delta Aquáridas and the Perseids now you have another reason to look at the sky.
What is the Super Blue Moon?
According to star Walk the origin of the name “Blue Moon” is uncertain, but it takes us back in time at least four centuries. At the time, it meant something almost impossible to happen, hence the English expression “Once in a blue moon”.
According to the same source, there are two types of Blue Moon: calendar and seasonal, and 2024 is precisely the latter. But what is a Seasonal Blue Moon anyway?
Most seasons contain three full moons, but on some occasions, like this summer, there are four. In such a rare sequence, the third moon is called the Blue Moon,” says the website “Meteored. Tempo.pt”.
When can you see it?
The best thing is to put it in your diary: august 19th. This is because after this date, the next seasonal Blue Moon will only be visible on May 20, 2027.
Does the moon really turn blue?
Although several images show the lunar satellite with a bluish tint, the truth is that none of this is guaranteed.
In fact, the moon’s hues depend largely on the weather conditions in the sky.
With or without a blue tint, it’s certainly worth admiring this spectacle!