One of the benefits of the Stevens campus is the majestic views of New York City, the Hudson River, and of course, the sky. Many of you have probably noticed while looking at the night sky between August 30 and August 31 that the moon appeared larger and closer to the earth than usual. This phenomenon is known as a supermoon. However, what makes this specific super moon even more special is that it was also a blue moon. This is a big deal as August 31, 2023 marked the last blue super moon to occur until 2037.
What is a supermoon?
The orbit of the moon around our planet is elliptical. This means that at one point during the moon’s 29.5 day orbit, Earth is closest to the moon (called perigee) and at another point it is the furthest (called apogee). When the moon is both full and at the point closest to Earth is when a supermoon occurs. During this time, the moon will appear closer and shine even more brightly than during other full moons.
What is a blue moon?
The term blue moon doesn’t actually refer to the moon appearing blue. Instead, it represents the second full moon that happens within the same month. Since the moon’s orbit cycle is 29.5 days, chances are that if the first full moon occurred on the 1st or 2nd of the month, that there will be another full moon, a blue moon, on the 30th or the 31st of that same month. This however, is a very rare event as it happens every two to three years. The rare occurrence of a blue moon also coined the phrase “once in a blue moon” as it refers to something happening once in a long while.
What is a super blue moon?
Super moons on their own happen fairly often as they occur three to four times a year. In fact, 25% of all full moons are super moons. On the other hand, only 3% of all full moons are blue moons. Given these likely hoods, seeing a super blue moon is an extremely rare sight. In terms of viewing a super blue moon, the moon will not appear blue but it will appear slightly brighter and slightly larger. The proximity to Earth during a super blue moon will grow 14% or roughly 33,000 miles. This massive change is hard to notice through the naked eye as the shift for us is the difference between a nickel and a quarter as displayed by NASA through the image.
When will the next super blue moon happen?
If you didn’t get a chance to view the moon on August 30, 2023 you will have to wait 14 years before the next. While the next supermoon is predicted to happen on September 18, 2024, the next super blue moon will not occur till at least 2037. If you didn’t get to see the super blue moon this year, you can see it in 2037 and if you did get a chance to see the super blue moon from Stevens, you can reminisce about your college years if you see it again 14 years from now.
