By — Marcia Dunn, Associated Press Marcia Dunn, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/photos-blue-supermoon-beams-around-the-world Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter PHOTOS: Blue supermoon beams around the world Science Aug 30, 2023 5:30 PM EDT A rare blue supermoon — the closest full moon of the year — dazzled stargazers Wednesday night. Saturn joined the celestial spectacle, visible alongside the moon, at least where skies were clear. The blue supermoon rises over the tower of Roca Vecchia in Lecce, Italy, on Aug. 30, 2023. Photo by Manuel Romano/ NurPhoto via Getty Images It was the second full moon of August, thus the blue label. And it was unusually close to Earth, therefore a supermoon. The moon appeared to be bigger and brighter than usual, given its close proximity to Earth: just 222,043 miles (357,344 kilometers) or so. The Aug. 1 supermoon was more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) farther away. An astronomer watches as the blue moon rises over Taman Ismail Marzuki, in Jakarta, Indonesia. Photo by Mas Agung Wilis/ NurPhoto via Getty Images The super blue moon occurs when the moon is at its closest position to the Earth and is brighter than normal. Istanbul on Aug. 30, 2023. Photo by Cagatay Kenarli /dia images via Getty Images If you missed it, it will be a long wait: The next blue supermoon isn’t until 2037. But another regular supermoon is on the horizon at the end of September, the last one of the year. The super blue moon rises over The Wallace Monument in Stirling, Scotland. Blue moons occurs approximately once every two or three years. Photo by Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images The moon rises behind the pyramids of Giza in Egypt. Photo by Amr Abdallah Dalsh/ Reuters The full moon viewed from Leeds, England. Photo by Danny Lawson/PA Images via Getty Images) The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Marcia Dunn, Associated Press Marcia Dunn, Associated Press
A rare blue supermoon — the closest full moon of the year — dazzled stargazers Wednesday night. Saturn joined the celestial spectacle, visible alongside the moon, at least where skies were clear. The blue supermoon rises over the tower of Roca Vecchia in Lecce, Italy, on Aug. 30, 2023. Photo by Manuel Romano/ NurPhoto via Getty Images It was the second full moon of August, thus the blue label. And it was unusually close to Earth, therefore a supermoon. The moon appeared to be bigger and brighter than usual, given its close proximity to Earth: just 222,043 miles (357,344 kilometers) or so. The Aug. 1 supermoon was more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) farther away. An astronomer watches as the blue moon rises over Taman Ismail Marzuki, in Jakarta, Indonesia. Photo by Mas Agung Wilis/ NurPhoto via Getty Images The super blue moon occurs when the moon is at its closest position to the Earth and is brighter than normal. Istanbul on Aug. 30, 2023. Photo by Cagatay Kenarli /dia images via Getty Images If you missed it, it will be a long wait: The next blue supermoon isn’t until 2037. But another regular supermoon is on the horizon at the end of September, the last one of the year. The super blue moon rises over The Wallace Monument in Stirling, Scotland. Blue moons occurs approximately once every two or three years. Photo by Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images The moon rises behind the pyramids of Giza in Egypt. Photo by Amr Abdallah Dalsh/ Reuters The full moon viewed from Leeds, England. Photo by Danny Lawson/PA Images via Getty Images) The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now