As millions of stargazers around the world looked at the sky Wednesday night, they saw a full moon appearing larger than average. It was another "supermoon" — the second one in August 2023, making it a "blue moon."
Unlike what the name suggests, a blue moon is not actually blue in color. Rather, it signifies the second full moon within a single month — hence the phrase, "once in a blue moon."
The "supermoon" phenomenon occurs when the moon's orbit is closest to Earth at the same time the moon is full. While around 25% of full moons are supermoons, just 3% of full moons are blue moons, according to NASA.
On average, supermoons are about 16% brighter than an average moon. They also appear bigger than the average full moon — with NASA comparing the size difference to that between a quarter and a nickel.
Saturn could also be seen appearing alongside the moon wherever skies were clear — adding to the celestial celebration.
Here are some photos of the super blue moon from around the world.
Those who missed seeing a blue moon will have to wait quite a while before the next one in May 2026. And if you're waiting for the next super blue moon, it'll be even longer — until 2037, when astronomy fans will get to see super blue moons in January and March.
Michael Roppolo is a CBS News reporter. He covers a wide variety of topics, including science and technology, crime and justice, and disability rights.
Twitter2024-12-25 10:181753 view
2024-12-25 09:35850 view
2024-12-25 09:19978 view
2024-12-25 08:552033 view
2024-12-25 08:141872 view
2024-12-25 08:12804 view
Thanksgiving may be over, but the season for giving is still upon us.Amazon is providing customers a
A new detail has been revealed from the Titan submersible’s tragic June 2023 implosion. During a Sep
In what has become the most common occurrence during her rookie season, Caitlin Clark broke another
