A special celestial event unfolded in the skies above Türkiye as a rare blue supermoon treated eager stargazers to a mesmerizing display on Wednesday night.
The moon's brilliance was accompanied by the appearance of Saturn, the ringed planet, visible together with the moon provided an impressive sight for those lucky enough to have had clear weather conditions.
This unique occurrence marked the second full moon of August, earning it the label "blue." The moon's closeness to Earth made it even more remarkable, resulting in its classification as a supermoon. This proximity made the moon appear larger and brighter than usual, coming in at just about 222,043 miles (357,344 kilometers) away, quite a bit closer than the supermoon on August 1, which was more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) farther.
If you happened to miss this event, you are in for a wait – the next blue supermoon is not expected until 2037. However, there is still something to look forward to, as another regular supermoon is set to grace the sky at the end of September, marking the final one of the year.
As the memory of this extraordinary celestial show lingers, skywatchers eagerly anticipate the next cosmic display, a reminder of the enduring fascination our universe holds.
A blue supermoon is a rare astronomical event that occurs when a full moon coincides with both a supermoon and a blue moon. A supermoon occurs when the moon is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, making it appear larger and brighter than usual. A blue moon occurs when two full moons are visible in a single month.
The term "blue moon" is actually a misnomer, as the moon does not actually turn blue. The term was first used in the 1940s by the Maine Farmers' Almanac to describe the second full moon in a month. However, the original definition of a blue moon is the third moon in a season with four full moons.
To see the blue supermoon, you will need to find clear skies. The moon will rise in the east in the evening and set in the west in the morning. You can view it with naked eyes, through binoculars, or telescopes.
