Prepare to witness a celestial spectacle as a rare supermoon illuminates the night sky across India. This captivating event will reach its peak brightness and size at 11:56 pm IST tonight, August 20th. A supermoon occurs when the moon is at its closest point to Earth during its full phase, making it appear significantly larger and brighter than usual.
The supermoon’s dazzling presence will be visible from today until early August 21st, with the most optimal viewing times around moonrise on August 19th. NASA confirms the supermoon’s peak on August 20th at 11:56 pm IST. Due to its close proximity to Earth, the supermoon will appear up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than a regular full moon.
This year, 2024, marks a special full moon in August, aptly named a ‘Blue Moon’. While the term might evoke images of a blue-hued celestial body, it actually refers to the third full moon in a season that features four full moons.
August’s supermoon is the first of four consecutive supermoons gracing us with their presence in 2024, providing multiple opportunities to marvel at the full moon’s brilliance. The next full moon is scheduled for September 17th.
The phenomenon of a supermoon, while fascinating from a scientific standpoint, also holds deep cultural significance across various societies. The August full moon is often called the ‘Sturgeon Moon’ by Native American tribes in the northeastern United States, named after the large fish that was commonly caught during this time. In Chinese culture, it aligns with the mid-autumn festival, a time for family reunions and celebrations.
The term ‘Blue Moon’ made its first recorded appearance in the English language in 1528, adding to the rich tapestry of our cultural understanding of lunar events.
