Super Blue Moon

The date of Rakhi celebration holds a special place in the month of Shravan, falling on August 30-31. This year, the Rakhi festivities are accompanied by a celestial spectacle known as the Super Blue Moon, a trifecta of unique astronomical events that combine to create a captivating and rare phenomenon.

Contents

Understanding the Phenomenon

Intricate Combination: The Super Blue Moon is a distinctive amalgamation of three extraordinary lunar occurrences – a full moon, a super moon, and a blue moon.

The Moon’s Orbit

The Orbit’s Nature: The moon’s orbit around the Earth is not a perfect circle; it is elliptical, resembling a slightly elongated circle.
Duration of Orbit: The moon takes approximately 27.3 days to complete one orbit around the Earth.

Decoding the Lunar Cycle

New Moon to New Moon: The lunar cycle spans about 29.5 days, during which the moon orbits the Earth and the Earth orbits the Sun.
The Explanation: The additional time taken for the Sun’s illumination to reach the moon causes the appearance of the moon to change over this cycle.
Opposite Phases: The new moon, the opposite phase of the full moon, presents the darkest side, with the illuminated face turned away from Earth.

Key Points in the Moon’s Journey

Closest Proximity: The point in the moon’s orbit closest to the Earth is called the perigee.
Farthest Reach: The farthest point from Earth is known as the apogee.

Unveiling the Super Moon

Super Moon’s Occurrence: A super moon occurs when the moon is at or near its perigee during a full moon.
Not Limited to Full Moons: The super moon phenomenon can also take place during a new moon, although it remains invisible from our vantage point.

The Characteristics of the Full Moon

Positioning Opposite to the Sun: A full moon occurs when the moon is positioned opposite to the Sun as observed from Earth.
Illumination of the Entire Day Side: The full moon lights up the entirety of its day side.
Striking Appearance: It presents a brilliant circular appearance in the night sky, rising around sunset and setting around sunrise.
Full Appearance Beyond Purnima: The full moon is visible on the night before Purnima and the night after the full moon night.

Monthly Variations and Uncommon Occurrences

Occasional Dual Full Moons: Sometimes, two full moons occur within a single month, typically on the 1st or 2nd day and the 30th or 31st day.
Frequency: Such instances, termed blue moons, happen every two to three years, according to NASA.
August 2023’s Uniqueness: The year 2023 witnessed a distinctive August, with two super moons – one on August 1 and another on August 30-31, which is closer to the perigee, appearing larger in the sky.

Unveiling Color Changes and Size-Brightness Variations

Shifting Colors: When the moon is lower in the sky, closer to the horizon, it appears more yellow or orange due to longer travel through the Earth’s atmosphere.
Influence of Dust and Pollution: Dust or pollution can intensify this reddish hue.
Size and Brightness: A full moon at perigee appears approximately 14% bigger and shines about 30% brighter than its counterpart at apogee, which is called a “micro moon.”

Observational Nuances

Size Perception: The difference in size between the two moon positions is unlikely to be distinctly noticeable to the naked eye.
Brightness Observation: The brightness might be more noticeable, contingent on factors like the moon illusion, cloudiness, or pollution at a specific location.