Rare celestial event lights up night skies worldwide
Stargazers were treated to an impressive sight over the past few nights as a super blue moon dazzled in the night sky and could be seen from locations across the globe. This intriguing lunar phenomenon, which only occurs a few times each year, saw Earth’s natural satellite appear bigger and brighter than usual.
Though dubbed a “super blue moon”, the celestial body did not actually take on a blue hue. Its coloration depended on conditions in the earth’s atmosphere, with dust and particles sometimes causing it to take on shades of orange or red. The superlative refers to it being both a seasonal blue moon, as well as a supermoon where the lunar orb is located closer to our planet in its elliptical orbit.
According to astronomers, this was the only such event of 2024 and represented the first of four remaining supermoons still left on the calendar for this year. As the moon orbits closest to Earth in its perigee, it appears around 30% brighter and 14% larger than regular full moons. Skywatchers enjoyed clear night skies across large parts of the globe to catch glimpses of the luminous moon through Wednesday evening.
Photographers around the world were quick to capture striking images of the super blue moon as it lit up landmarks and cityscapes. Mesmerizing shots showed it rising above skylines silhouetted against colorful swathes of dusk or framed amidst clouds drifting by. Social media was abuzz with amazing pictures showcasing the moon’s magnificence from different vantage points.
While this rare astronomical marvel is now gone from our night skies for another month, three additional supermoon opportunities remain in 2024 on September 17, October 17, and November 15. Astrophotographers and amateur astronomers will no doubt be eagerly anticipating those future nights to once again observe and photograph the moon glowing unusually large and radiant in celebration of the wonders that can be seen with just our eyes turned skyward.
