The month of August is a magical time for avid moon aficionados since it is home to not one but two beautiful supermoons that bookend the summer season. This makes the month of August a particularly alluring time. On August 1st, the Full Sturgeon Moon will illuminate the night sky, and as the month of August draws to a conclusion, the mesmerizing Full Blue Moon will shine on August 30th.
These exceptional lunar phenomena represent the midpoint of a captivating sequence of four supermoons that began with the Full Buck Moon on July 3rd. This sequence of four supermoons has been drawing a lot of attention since it began. The phrase “supermoon” may evoke mental imagery of a moon that is noticeably bigger than normal; however, the phenomenon is actually the result of the moon’s elliptical orbit around the Earth. Even while the moon does not always remain at the same distance from Earth as it did in the past, its occasional proximity to Earth provides the optical illusion of a supermoon.
Skywatchers in New York City who are anticipating the arrival of the Full Sturgeon Moon on the night of August 1st should expect its ascent about 9:30 p.m. EDT (0130 GMT on August 2nd), with its descend set for 5:11 a.m. EDT (0911 GMT) on Wednesday, August 2nd. The Full Sturgeon Moon will arrive on the night of August 1st. The celestial show will also be viewable via a livestream that will originate from The Virtual Telescope Project in the vicinity of Rome, Italy. This livestream will offer an additional perspective on the magnificent celestial work that will be taking place.
After the splendor of the Sturgeon supermoon, the portion of the moon that is illuminated will progressively decrease, ushering in a phase that is appropriately referred to as “waning.” The moon will rise and set almost an hour later each day from now until the new moon arrives on August 16, 2023. This will culminate in the arrival of the new moon.
Absence of the moon in the night sky is diagnostic of the new moon, which ushers in a brand-new lunar cycle that lasts for 29.5 days and marks the beginning of the cycle. During this phase, which takes place between the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., the moon is obscured by the nighttime sky.
After that, the moon starts the process that astronomers refer to as “waxing,” in which it gradually reveals its lighted face to Earth. This is the occurrence that triggers the term “waxing.” This trend prepares us for the big conclusion of the “summer of supermoons,” which will be the Full Blue Moon that will occur on August 30. This beautiful occurrence is going to adorn the horizon in the middle of New York City around 7:10 p.m. EDT (2310 GMT), and its fall is going to be at 6:46 a.m. EDT (1146 GMT) on August 31st.
But how are these supermoons in August different from moons that are considered to be “regular”? The elliptical orbit of the moon, which brings it closer to and further away from Earth, holds the key to understanding this phenomenon. The mesmerizing phenomena known as the supermoon is caused by the shift in distance that occurs between the moon’s closest point (perigee) and its farthest point (apogee), which varies by approximately 14%.
When a supermoon occurs, the moon is in the midst of the full moon phase of its lunar cycle while also being in close proximity to its perigee. This causes the moon to appear larger than usual. This phenomenon, known as the “perigean full moon,” does not require the moon to be in precise closeness to the surface of the Earth; nonetheless, the moon’s proximity can influence the visual impression it has.
Fred Espanak, a renowned eclipse expert and retired NASA astrophysicist, pointed out that the moon’s average distance from Earth is roughly 238,000 miles (382,900 km), yet during the Full Sturgeon Moon, the moon is approximately 222,158 miles (357,530 km) away from Earth. This is in contrast to the fact that the moon’s average distance from Earth is approximately 238,000 miles (382,900 km). The moon will be at its brightest and fullest on August 2 at 01:52 EDT (0552 GMT), which coincides with the perigee period.
It is anticipated that the moon will be approximately 222,043 miles (357,343 kilometers) from Earth during the Full Blue Moon that will occur on August 30. This will make it the closest and brightest supermoon of the year 2023. This proximity results in a remarkable 30% increase in luminance and a 14% increase in the apparent size of the lunar disk as observed from Earth. Both of these changes can be attributed to the proximity of the moon to the Earth. These distinctions are not difficult to spot for experienced lunar observers, but for others who are not as accustomed to keeping a close check on the moon, they may take a more observant eye.
The “summer of supermoons” comes to an end with the Full Corn Moon on September 28th, which coincides with the September equinox on September 23rd, which marks the end of summer in the northern hemisphere. August comes to a close, and with it, the “summer of supermoons” comes to a finish as well. Due to the fact that only two supermoons are expected to occur in the year 2024, it is unfortunate that the following year will not be able to present a similar supermoon display. The first appearance is scheduled for the 18th of September, followed by the biggest and brightest supermoon of the year on the 18th of October, 2024.
Our in-depth guides to the best telescopes and binoculars, which will allow for the best possible viewing experience and are a vital resource for those who are looking forward to participating in the upcoming supermoon trilogy, which will begin with the Sturgeon Moon, are available to those who are eager to do so.
It is recommended that photography enthusiasts who want to capture the beauty of the moon and the vastness of the celestial realm read through our comprehensive tutorial on moon photography. Your efforts to take photographs of the night sky can be made even better by consulting our recommendations for high-quality cameras and lenses designed specifically for astronomical photography, which are easily accessible.
