Tonight is the full (sturgeon) moon, and it also happens to be a supermoon and a blue moon, which makes it a rare blue supermoon. That makes it pretty special, and it should be quite bright in the night sky. I’ve noticed over the last few days that even as it’s been waxing, it has been very bright.
What is a Blue Supermoon?
So, what is a supermoon and a blue moon? A supermoon means that the moon is orbiting closer to the Earth, as illustrated by the image below:
There are two different types of blue moons: seasonal and monthly. A monthly blue moon is the second full moon in a single month, and a seasonal blue moon occurs when there are four full moons in a single season, such as summer. The third moon in that season is considered the blue moon. The moon doesn’t appear blue.
The reason for calling it a blue moon is reportedly because for up to two years after the eruption of the Indonesian volcano, Krakatoa, in 1883, there were worldwide reports of strange-looking sunsets and the moon appearing to be blue. After that, the saying, “Once in a blue moon…” came to mean something rare but not impossible. ¹
It is called a sturgeon moon because of the native Americans. They had a name for each of the full moons based on what happened at that time of year. The sturgeon moon was for the giant fish that were easier to catch during the month of August. ² Other tribes and cultures had different names for the moons, such as the corn moon.
The moon’s energy can be quite powerful. People often say that the world goes crazy when the moon is full. There seem to be more car accidents and even more people fighting. The moon affects the tides, and since we are mostly water, it makes sense that we would be affected by the moon as well.
Take some time tonight to look at the moon, maybe even watch the moonrise. It’s bound to be gorgeous, and it’s a great opportunity to spend time with someone special.
Enjoy!