19 August 2024, 12:36 | Updated: 19 August 2024, 14:01
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A rare blue supermoon is set to light up the night sky on Monday – with an “enhanced” sunset making the view even better.
It will appear about a seventh bigger and brighter than usual, with both a blue moon and supermoon coinciding.
Meteorologists have said sunsets and sunrises will also be “enhanced” due to wildfires in the US.
The remnants of the wildfires have made the sky look particularly “hazy” and red.
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When can you see the blue supermoon?
The blue supermoon will be at its brightest on Monday evening and heading into Tuesday morning.
It first appeared on Sunday morning and is set to be visible through to early Wednesday morning, Nasa said.
Where is best to view the blue supermoon?
Rural areas are typically best for viewing such events.
However, the moon should be visible from anywhere with an unobstructed view of the horizon.
What is a blue supermoon?
Despite its name, a blue moon does not appear blue – though it is possible if there has been major disruption to the Earth’s atmosphere.
Dr Greg Brown, astronomer at Royal Observatory Greenwich said: “The most common definition of a blue moon is that it is the second full moon in one calendar month.”
Nasa previously said: “The key to a blue moon is having in the air lots of particles slightly wider than the wavelength of red light (0.7 micron) – and no other sizes present.
“This is rare, but volcanoes sometimes spit out such clouds, as do forest fires.”
On Sunday evening, the supermoon appeared red due to smoke floating across the Atlantic from North American wildfires.
Dr. Thomas Hughes is a UK-based scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to readers. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
