Astronomy fans, star gazers, and lost lovers should be happy to know that this week a Blue Moon will rise over Long Island. Whether you’re standing alone without a dream in your heart or a love of your own, or just out with friends and family, look up in the sky at twilight this Wednesday to catch the Blue Moon.
According to timeanddate.com, there are two different definitions for a Blue Moon.
“A seasonal Blue Moon is the third Full Moon of an astronomical season that has four Full Moons,” according to the website.
FAQ for the August 2023 Blue Moon
- How to find the Super Blue Moon? Look east just after sunset to see the moonrise. The best time to view it will be at moonrise because it rises during twilight. The moon will be 100% illuminated at 8:3pm.
- Will the moon actually be blue? No.
- Will it seem larger? Yes. This week’s full moon will also be a Super Blue Moon, so called because it is near Earth in its orbit - also known as perigee. Although the moon will be very slightly larger the bigness of the lunar object is merely an illusion as it is closer to the horizon. There is even a term for this: Moon Illusion.
- Will there be anything else to see in the sky that night? Yes! Saturn will appear in the constellation Aquarius, a little above and to the right of the moon.
- Will there be other Blue Moons? Nope. This is the only Blue Moon of 2023.
- Anything else? On August 1st there was a supermoon called a Sturgeon Moon. This will be the second full moon this month. “The last time two full supermoons graced the sky in the same month was in 2018,” according to ABC news. “It won't happen again until 2037…”