A rare blue supermoon – the closest full moon of the year – dazzled stargazers on Wednesday night.
Saturn joins the celestial spectacle, visible alongside the moon, at least in clear skies.
This is the second full moon in August, hence the blue label.
And it’s unusually close to Earth, hence the supermoon.
Since it’s only about 222,043 miles from Earth, the Moon appears larger and brighter than usual.
The “blue supermoon” of ancient Corinth rose over the Temple of Apollo on Wednesday night.AFP via Getty Images Spectators watch the moon from the upper level of Kauffman Stadium during the Kansas City Royals-Pittsburgh Pirates game on Aug. 30, 2023.Associated Press A “blue supermoon” rose behind the “Victor” landmark monument in Belgrade, Serbia on Wednesday.AFP via Getty Images People watch a rare blue supermoon from Chicago’s 31st Street Beach on Wednesday.Associated Press San Francisco’s Salesforce Tower and Palace of Fine Arts loomed in front of the moon Wednesday night.Associated Press Moonlight shone over Arthur Ashe Stadium during the second round of the U.S. Open on Wednesday night.Associated Press The Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C. sits on a cloudy night during a blue supermoon.Alison Bailey/NurPhoto/Shutterstock On August 30, the “blue supermoon” rose over Havana, Cuba, partially covered by clouds.AFP via Getty Images A full blue moon rose behind the Royal Liver Building and the Liver Bird statue in Liverpool, England, on Wednesday night.Getty Images A drone “flies” the supermoon during a demonstration flight on the first day of the Teknofest technology and aerospace festival in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday.Associated Press The Strat Hotel and Casino was under a super blue moon in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday night.ZUMAPRESS.com
The August 1 supermoon is over 100 miles away.
If you missed it, it’s going to be a long wait: the next blue supermoon won’t occur until 2037.
But another regular supermoon is coming at the end of September, the last of the year.
