People in Pakistan are in for a treat on August 19 tonight because the full moon that will light up the sky will be officially termed both a ‘supermoon’ and a ‘blue moon.’
The astrological event is soon expected to occur, giving a show that might not be repeated in the evening skies for years to come. It was scheduled at 23:26 PST in Pakistan. It can be witnessed all over the country.
This rare event of a ‘super blue moon’ occurs only when the lunar phases of a supermoon and blue oc occur together in a calendar, SUPARCO said in a statement.
The “super” part refers to the moon’s orbit, which brings it slightly closer to Earth, making it appear larger and brighter – a supermoon is defined as the moment the moon is at perigee, or its closest point to our planet, coupled with a full moon.
What is Super Full Moon?
It refers to a type of full moon in which the moon looks bigger and brighter than an average full moon by a factor of around 14% in size and 30% in brightness; this is experienced when the moon is at the closest point to the earth that it gets, which is about 226000 miles.
Supermoons can also happen at the other extreme of the lunar month, the New Moon. If the Full Moon happens when the Moon is at or very close to the closest point to the Earth, it is called a Super Full Moon. Super New Moon occurs when there is a new moon close to the perigee, the nearest point that the moon is to the earth during its elliptical orbit.
First Super Moon 2024
Today will be the first of three supermoons visible this year, and the first before the Earth’s moon reaches perigee, its closest point to our planet at 221,259 miles, in 2024. The next ones will be on September 18 and October 17, and a supermoon at New Moon on November 15.
Blue Moon
The name “Blue” suggests that it is the term for the third of four full moons in a particular season, which is quite rare. In a real sense, the term used on ‘blue moon’ is used when we have several full moods in one particular calendar cycle. A seasonal blue moon is when four full moons happen in one season, the summer of 2024 if it is to be precise.
Indeed, there are two types of blue moons. When the calendar has four months, the term ‘blue moon’ refers to the third full moon of those four. The blue moon can be again defined as a phenomenon where we encounter an additional full moon in a certain calendar month. On a seasonal basis, blue moons are a by and large rarity. The next one will not take place until May 2027.
Second, blue moons usually occur every two to three years and become even rarer. When the lunar phenomena occur together, they are further termed a blue moon; the events happen, on average, approximately every 10 years, though the range varies to as much as 20 years.
When to Watch Rare Super Blue Moon?
The rare Super Blue Moon rises at midnight, and Pakistan skygazers can witness it at 11:26 PM Pakistan Standard Time.
Next Super Moon of 2024 date
The next supermoons will be observed on September 18, October 17, and November 15 (supermoon at new moon).
