The first full supermoon on August 1
What’s it? It’s the primary of two full moons of August 2023. And it’s the second of four full supermoons in a row this 12 months. It falls on August 1.
The place and when to look: Search for the brilliant, spherical moon within the east shortly after sundown on August 1. It’s highest within the sky round midnight. And it’s low within the west earlier than dawn on August 2.
Crest of the primary full moon in August 2023 falls at 18:32 UTC (1:32 p.m. CDT) on August 1. So the fullest moon – for us within the Americas – comes round noon when the moon is beneath our horizon. Irrespective of. The moon will nonetheless be loads spherical and full-looking when it rises round sundown tonight. And it’ll be extra-bright, as all supermoons are (in any case, to be a supermoon, the moon must be extra-close).
That’s proper. To be a supermoon, the full moon should even be near perigee, the purpose in its orbit the place it comes nearest to Earth. So along with its two full moons, August 2023 additionally has two lunar perigees.
The primary August 2023 lunar perigee occurs about 12 hours after the crest of the August 1 full moon. It falls at 6 UTC (1 a.m. CDT) on August 2. Certainly, it comes shut sufficient that Fred Espenak and others record this full moon on their supermoon tables. You may know {that a} supermoon doesn’t look greater to the attention alone. But it surely does look brighter. And generally notably high tides will observe supermoons by a day or so.
The 2nd full supermoon on August 30-31
This shall be closest full moon, and, subsequently, the biggest supermoon of the 12 months. So not solely does it seem like the largest full moon of the 12 months, but it surely additionally seems to be the brightest. Nevertheless, solely really skilled lunar observers will discover a supermoon showing barely greater. However everybody can discover the supermoon showing brighter (by 16%) than a median full moon.
The place and when to look: Search for the brilliant, spherical moon within the east shortly after sundown on August 30, 2023. It’s highest within the sky round midnight. Conversely, it’s low within the west earlier than dawn on August 31.
Crest of the second full moon in August 2023 falls at 1:36 UTC on August 31 (8:36 p.m. CDT on August 30). That implies that the second when full moon happens is close to when it rises on August 30.
The second August 2023 lunar perigee occurs about 12 hours after the crest of this full moon. It falls at 16 UTC (or 11 a.m. CDT) on August 30.
Rise within the east, set within the west
For places exterior of the polar areas, all full moons rise within the east near the time of sundown. And likewise, all full moons set within the west near the time of dawn. At full moon, the sun, Earth, and moon are aligned in space, with Earth within the center. Subsequently, the moon is reverse the sun, seen all night time. And, the moon’s day aspect – its absolutely lighted hemisphere – straight faces us. That’s, subsequently, why the moon seems full.
August’s first full moon is the Corn Moon, or Sturgeon Moon
All the total moons have names. Widespread ones for this August’s first full moon embody Corn Moon and Sturgeon Moon. The identify Sturgeon Moon acknowledges the August peak of the sturgeon fish catch within the waters of North America’s Nice Lakes. As well as, we’ve additionally heard the identify Flying Up Moon for the August full moon.
Read: Full moon names by month and by season
Corn Moon in Capricornus
This August’s first full moon can lie in entrance of one in all two constellations of the zodiac. Most frequently it’s in entrance of Capricornus the Sea-goat, and generally it’s in entrance of Aquarius the Water Bearer. As seen from the Americas, the full moon on the in a single day of August 1 shall be situated within the route of Capricornus.
August’s second full moon is the Blue Moon
If a month has two full moons, as this August does, the second is known as – by some folks – a Blue Moon. So, this August has two supermoons with one in all them being the Blue Moon.
Blue Moon meets Saturn
The August 30 Blue Moon will mild the sky round it, blotting out all however the brightest stars. This month, nonetheless, a degree of sunshine shines close by. Look rigorously within the brilliant moonlight, and also you’ll see not a star, however Saturn, the sixth planet from the sun. Additionally, Saturn lies reverse the sun, as seen from Earth, three days earlier on August 27. In different phrases, Earth passes between Saturn and the sun. Because of this, astronomers name it an opposition of Saturn.
August’s second full moon, the Blue Moon falling on August 30, lies within the route of Aquarius. It seems close to Saturn. It is best to have the ability to choose Saturn out within the moon’s brilliant glare.
Backside line: This August sees two full moons, each of them supermoons. The total Corn Moon or Sturgeon Moon occurs on August 1, 2023. The second full moon, a Blue Moon, happens in a single day on August 30-31, 2023.
