August 30-31 was a special period when the moon shined the brightest. The moon appeared bigger and more ethereal. However, it was not blue in color. The Super Blue Moon has a yellow tinge but has the brightest hue.
So, one might wonder why it is called a blue moon if it has no blue hues. NASA has defined the blue moon based on the moon cycle and the occurrence of the full moon.
The rare event of a Super Blue moon will cast 30% more light on Earth. This is because the moon orbits the closest to Earth on this day. Read along for the scientific reason for a super blue moon.
Meaning Behind The Term Blue Moon
The Blue Moon is actually a periodic occurrence depending on the moon’s phase cycle. To complete one course of all the moon phases requires a total of 29.5 days.
As per the calculations, it comes to around 354 days, which is 11 days shorter than the average calendar month, and the difference leads to two full moons occurring in the same month.
This August, the Sturgeon Moon was observed on the 1st of the month, while another full moon occurred on the 30th. This full moon is referred to as the blue moon– because the full moon is repeated a second time. Such an event is expected roughly every 2-3 years.
In addition to this, the moon’s orbital path is elliptical, which results in the moon moving towards the nearest point (perigee) to Earth in its orbit.
As a result, more light is reflected from the sun and cast on Earth, which makes the moon appear the brightest.
On the night of August 30th, 2023, these two events overlapped, forming the Super Blue Moon.
Why Is the Blue Moon Not Blue?
Contrary to popular belief, the Blue Moon will not appear blue. The term Blue Moon denotes the rare occurrence of the full moon. Hence the idiom “once in a blue moon.”
The moon appeared to have an evident orange tinge due to the intense light reflection. However, experts have suggested that the moon might have a slight hue of blue on rare occasions if the smoke or dust particles in the air negate the red wavelengths of light.
Besides this rare probability, the super blue moon will not be blue in color.
How was your experience with the Super Blue Moon? Let us know in the comments section below.
