Value-conscious sky watchers can rejoice on Monday, as the night may bring a rare one-on-one event: a supermoon and a seasonal blue moon combine for a single view.
NASA says this combination occurs roughly every 10 years under the strict definition of a blue moon — the third in a season with four full moons.
A supermoon occurs when a full moon occurs because the moon is closest to Earth in its orbit. Proximity varies even for supermoon events, with the strongest ones appearing 14% larger than full moons farther from Earth. It won’t be one of the strongest supermoons, but it will still be super, according to NASA.
The color of the moon is white and gray with hints of brown and yellow.
Sometimes the length between two appearances of what NASA calls a “super blue moon” is up to 20 years. NASA said in an FAQ For a brighter Monday night.
Using the new definition of a blue moon — two full moons in one month — as well as the more traditional seasonal blue moon definition, a super blue moon occurs every five years, the space agency said.
The next time a moon like Monday’s will occur — a supermoon coincides with a seasonal blue moon — will be on Aug. 21, 2032, according to NASA. It said the next supermoon to coincide with the monthly blue moon will be in January 2037.
Monday’s Super Blue Moon is a rough indicator of the last 30 days of summer, with the season ending on September 21.
“Seasonal blue moons always occur exactly one month before an equinox or solstice,” NASA said in its FAQ.
Many in the U.S. who want to take advantage of this rare two-for-one offer may be disappointed: The National Weather Service is calling for thunderstorms from the mid-North Atlantic to New England overnight, with thunderstorms also possible in the High Plains. Covers Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, visibility is good. The National Weather Service office for the region is calling for mostly clear skies and “good viewing of the supermoon tonight,” according to its latest forecast discussion.
Denver’s Blue Moon Brewing is planning a postgame drone show for fans at Oracle Park during the San Francisco Giants’ game against the Chicago White Sox, which will begin an hour before sunset.
The brewer said in a statement, “Following the final inning of the Giants’ game against the White Sox, the ballpark lights will come down and the sky above Oracle Park will light up with a drone show, titled: Once in a Blue Moon.”
“Friend of animals everywhere. Devoted analyst. Total alcohol scholar. Infuriatingly humble food trailblazer.”