To be absolutely accurate, it’s not only a full moon, it’s not only a blue moon, it is also a super moon.
So the moon you see in the sky tomorrow night is really a Super Blue Moon!
Blue Moons, which means the moon that appears twice in the same month, something that happens
every couple of years are not really blue. It’s simply a term that has been around since the 1940s talking
about the second full moon in the same month.
But tomorrow night, Aug. 30, the full moon that occurred after the Sturgeon Moon on Aug. 1, is not
only a Blue Moon, it’s a Super Moon. That means it is occurring during the moon’s perigee, the time it is
closest to the earth. That also happened for the Sturgeon, so this year we have experienced two full
super moons in the same month.
When the moon is closest to the earth, it is about 1 per cent closer than it is when it is at its apogee,
the furthest from the earth. It is still the same size, it’s just that it appears brighter and larger since it is
closer.
The best time to view the Super Blue Moon is right after sunset, when the moon is rising over the
horizon. At that time, it will appear to be a deep orange in color.
Saturn will also be visible near the moon. That will be the bright planet to the upper right of the moon.
Looking at it closely over time, it will appear to be moving clockwise around the moon.
The Super Blue Moon of August is actually closest to earth at noon when it is 221,942 miles from
earth. It turns full at precisely 9:36 p.m. nine hours later.
Here in the Bayshore, it’s the Sept. 29 full moon that is drawing a lot of attention. That will be the
moon when the Twin Lights Historical Society is hosting visitors to the state museum, the Twin Lights,
between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. to climb the towers of the historic lighthouse and view the rising moon from
a new height. Tickets at $5 will be available at the Museum that night for walks up to the top of the
lighthouses for a view of the September full moon.
The program will be repeated on Oct. 28, the full moon of October. Visit the Twin Lights Historical
Museum for further information on the moon climbs and other activities at the state museum in
Highlands.