A super blue moon rises behind the Longquan Mountain Observation Deck on Aug. 19, 2024 in Chengdu, China. Credit – Zhou Rui—VCG/Reuters
A super blue moon is a full moon, blue moon, and a super moon all at once. Don’t be deceived by the name—a blue moon isn’t because the moon is blue; that’s just the nickname used for the second full moon that occurs in a month. A super moon is when the moon’s orbit brings it a little closer to Earth, causing it to look bigger and brighter. The combination of a super moon and blue moon is rare.
The full moon’s peak took place on Monday afternoon, at 2:26 p.m. EDT, but it’ll be visible until early Wednesday morning. All you need to do is look up at the sky to view the spectacle (though experts say that people using telescopes and binoculars will be able to see more detail on the moon’s surface than they usually would). You do need a fairly clear sky to see the moon, so check your local forecast to make sure the weather won’t obstruct your view.
If you missed the sight on Monday night, photographers captured stunning images of the moon. Here are some of the best photos:
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