Rare blue supermoon to brighten the sky on Wednesday night

As WDIO reported on August 1, stargazers are in for a special treat as we close out the month of August. We will see a rare blue Supermoon on Wednesday night. It is the second full moon of the month. The first full moon was on August 1, which was also called the Sturgeon Moon.

Wednesday’s supermoon is considered the blue moon because it is the second full moon of the month. It’s called a supermoon because it’s closer to Earth than usual, appearing especially big and bright.

According to scientists, this will be the closest full moon of the year, just 222,043 miles (357,344 kilometers) or so away. That’s more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) closer than the Aug. 1 supermoon.

Saturn will be visible as a bright point 5 degrees to the upper right of the moon at sunset in the east-southeastern sky, according to NASA. The ringed planet will appear to circle clockwise around the moon as the night wears on.

If you missed the month’s first spectacle, better catch this one. There won’t be another blue supermoon until 2037, according to Italian astronomer Gianluca Masi, founder of the Virtual Telescope Project.

Weather permitting, observers don’t need binoculars or telescopes — “just their own eyes.” said Masi.

The first supermoon of 2023 was in July. The fourth and last will be in September.