An extremely rare blue supermoon has arrived and has left stargazers across Europe delighted.
The lunar phenomenon occurs only three or four times a year when the moon reaches its closest point to the Earth.
This makes our lunar satellite appear up to 14 percent larger and a third brighter than normal, making for some truly spectacular views while the Moon is full over the next three days.
This lunar spectacle is even rarer than a standard supermoon, as it coincides with the first blue moon since August last year and will appear deep red due to ash from wildfires in the atmosphere.
And while the amazing spectacle leaves stargazers speechless, sadly there won’t be another one until 2037.
COPENHAGEN: A plane flies past the supermoon over Copenhagen as a super blue moon approaches Europe
ATHENS: The full moon known as the blue moon rises over the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, near Athens.
GREECE: The term “supermoon” is used to describe when the full moon coincides with the Moon’s closest approach to Earth.
TURKEY: Supermoon rises over buildings in Ankara, Turkey, on August 19. There won’t be another one until 2037
SWITZERLAND: A super blue moon rises over the mountain “Dent d’Oche” seen from Allaman, Switzerland
DENMARK: Supermoon over Copenhagen, Denmark. A supermoon occurs when the full moon coincides with the time of year when the Moon is closest to Earth.
The blue moon is not named for its color, but for the time of year when there are full moons.
The moon has also been called the green corn moon, the grain moon, and the red moon because of the reddish color it often takes on in the summer haze.
The supermoon means that Earth’s satellite is closer to the planet.
During a supermoon, the Moon appears up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than when it is farther away.
The term supermoon was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979 to refer to a new or full moon that occurs when the Moon is at 90% of its closest approach to Earth.
This will be the first of four consecutive supermoons this year, with the September and October full moons virtually tied for the closest of the year.
The moon will rise at approximately 7:26 p.m. and the best time to view it is when conditions are most suitable for a clear sky.
This means low cloud cover, favorable weather, and no obstructions on the horizon, such as buildings or trees.
JERUSALEM: The supermoon rises behind the Dome of the Rock shrine in the Al Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City.
DUBAI: A look at the full moon as it rises over the city skyline with the world’s tallest tower, Burj Khalifa, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
MOSCOW: A supermoon is rising over a residential building in Moscow, Russia. This will be the first of four consecutive supermoons this year
TURKEY: The supermoon rises behind the leaves of the trees in Gaziantep, Turkey. The best time to catch a glimpse of it is when conditions are most conducive to a clear sky.
GREECE: The first Supermoon of the year, also known as the Sturgeon Moon, rises over Palamidi Castle in Nafplio, Peloponnese, Greece.
GREECE: The Sturgeon Moon rises over Nafplio, Peloponnese, Greece. The term supermoon was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979
ISTANBUL: The phenomenal moon rises behind the Camlica Mosque and the Martyrs’ Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey
Magnificent images from Türkiye captured it looming over the 16th-century Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul.
Closer to home, it rose above the medieval ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle in Northumberland, and British astronomers were bracing for another one last night.
The intense glow is thought to have been caused by wildfires in North America when smoke particles spread across the Atlantic, scattering the light in such a way that the moon appeared more crimson.
But the color will fade this week as clouds and rain move in, clearing the haze from the atmosphere.
The next blue moon, defined not by its color but by when full moons occur during the year, will be in May 2026.
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