Don’t Miss Out on the Next 2023 Super Moons!
A Super Moon is an impressive sight in the night sky – glowing larger and brighter
than a typical full moon, it can be a spectacular show for stargazers.
Super Moons occur when the moon is at the closest point in its orbit to Earth and its
gravitational pull is strongest, making it appear larger than normal.
The various types of Super Moons all have different names, and each is special in its
own way.
In this video, we will go through what are some of the most common types of Super Moons
and what makes them so remarkable.
Let’s start!
Keep watching to explore with us!
First, what exactly is a Super Moon?
The term “Super Moon” has been recently popularized to refer to a phenomenon that
occurs when a full moon coincides with the moon's closest approach to Earth in its orbit.
During this time, the moon appears larger and brighter than it usually does, providing
a spectacular sight for sky-watchers.
But I’m sure you’re wondering why the Moon has a closer approach to the Earth with
respect to other phases of its orbit, and then a much further away one.
Well, it has long been thought that the moon orbits the planet in a perfect circle, but
in reality, this is not the case.
The moon’s orbit is actually slightly elliptical, or oval-shaped.
This means that when the moon is at its closest point to the Earth, called perigee, it is
about 30,000 miles (48,280 kilometers) closer to the planet than when it is at its most
distant point, called apogee.
This elliptical orbit then affects the moon’s apparent size and brightness when observed
from the Earth.
Quick interesting parentheses: The reason for this slight deviation from a perfect circle
is due to the gravitational pull of other celestial bodies, such as the Sun.
These objects have the power to alter the moon’s orbit and make it slightly elliptical.
In addition, the Earth’s own gravitational pull can have an effect on the moon’s path
around the planet.
When a Super Moon occurs, the moon is at perigee, meaning it’s at its closest point to Earth.
It is seen to be about 15% bigger and 30% brighter than a full moon at apogee, its farthest
point from Earth.
Even though the difference in size and brightness is not immediately noticeable to the naked
eye, it does make for a spectacular show.
A Super Moon can be seen about twice or three times every year when the moon is at its closest
point and is full.
Depending on the weather, the best time to observe the Super Moon is when it is low on
the horizon, as this is when its impressive size and brightness will be most noticeable.
To further enhance the experience, it’s best to find a location with a good view of
the horizon in all directions, such as a high hill or even the beach.
The next Super Moon will occur on the 3rd of July!
Make sure not to miss it, it’s the night right before the fireworks of the 4th of July,
it will be a hell of a couple of days for the sky in July!
Let’s go through the different types of super moons.
Let’s start with the most popular one: The Blood Moon.
A Blood Moon is a type of Super Moons.
This makes for a spectacularly large and bright moon in the night sky.
During a Blood Moon, the Moon can appear to be a vivid red or orange color, hence its
name, making for some truly stunning visuals.
A Blood Moon occurs basically during a lunar eclipse.
This happens when the Earth is exactly positioned between the Moon and the Sun, blocking out
the Sun’s light from reaching the Moon.
The moon usually looks white and bright, but during the lunar eclipse, it looks like its
just been painted reddish.
That's because some of the blue light from the sun is scattered out by the molecules
in the air in our atmosphere.
The remaining light, which is mostly red, reflects off the moon and gives it that beautiful
sun-kissed glow!
The level of redness can be impacted by atmospheric conditions, with varying levels of the pollution
of the air, storms of dust, smoke from wildfires, or volcanic ash.
Blood Moons only occur around once every two years, as the alignment of the Moon, Earth,
and Sun must be just right for the eclipse to occur.
Of course, this interval isn’t constant, as we have seen exceptions in 2022, where
we had two blood moon the same year, but this frequency only usually happens once every
three years!
The next one is expected to happen in 2025.
Stay attentive!
If you know there will be a blood moon coming up, don’t worry too much about missing it!
Total lunar eclipses can last for up to three and a half hours.
The longest total lunar eclipse that has been recorded lasted for about 100 minutes.
Another type is the Blue Moon.
We’ve all used the expression “once every blue moon” to describe something that happens
rarely, like going to the gym for example - we all know how lazy you are.
Anyway, that is to say that this expression doesn’t come from nowhere, it’s because
a Blue Moon is a rare occurrence.
A Blue Moon is seen when two full moons happen in the same calendar month.
Although not technically a ‘super’ moon, a Blue Moon is still an impressive sight,
as it looks larger and brighter than usual.
A Blue Moon occurs roughly once every 2.7 years, meaning that a full Super Moon only
occurs about once every blue moon.
This can also occur when four full moons happen in one season, and this event becomes even
rarer – it only happens about once in a three-year span.
So why do we see an extra moon in this case?
The phases of the moon take 29.5 days to complete, so it would take 354 days to complete 12 full
cycles of the moon.
Simple Mathematics.
But this does not add up to a year, which accounts for 365 or 366 days.
This is where the blue moon comes in.
Every two and a half years, a 13th full moon is seen, which is referred to as a Blue Moon.
This allows for the extra 11 or 12 days needed to make up a year.
Because of the rarity of these occurrences, a Blue Moon is often associated with special
events and celebrations.
People sometimes use special objects to mark the milestone in hopes of making their wishes
and dreams come true.
Whether you’re trying to make a wish on a Blue Moon or simply taking the opportunity
to pause and enjoy a moment of rare beauty, a Blue Moon can be a special time.
If you’re curious to see what it looks like in real life, take a little pair of binoculars,
and go out to see the next one on the 30st of August 2023.
You might not even need those binoculars!
The next type is the Harvest Moon.
A Harvest Moon occurs when the full moon is closest to the autumnal equinox, that is,
the first day of autumn.
Equinox is like a special day that happens twice a year.
On the day of the Equinox, the sun is right in the middle of the earth, so it's like the
sun is giving us a big hug!
The first Equinox happens in the Spring and the second one happens in the Fall, so it's
like a way to say hello to a new season.
It certainly feels very welcoming!
This phenomenon causes the moon to rise earlier in the evening and to appear larger and brighter
than average.
If you look up to the sky on the 29th of September of 2023, you will for sure catch how big it
is, especially at the horizon during its rise.
Don’t forget the date!
Before Thomas Eddison came up with electric light bulbs in 1879, the farmers relied on
the light from the Moon to work in the fields at night to harvest their crops.
The big and bright full moon in the autumn was especially helpful because it lit up the
fields like a flashlight.
It worked as an indicator for them to start harvesting their crops.
And this is the story behind why it was given the name of Harvest Moon.
And finally, there is the Pink Moon.
Just like the Harvest Moon rises in time for Autumn, this type of Super Moon occurs when
the full moon is closest to the spring equinox.
It also appears larger and brighter than all the other full moons we see every month.
The Pink Moon does not have a pink color, just like the Blue Moon isn’t really blue.
But its name was given as such because of the beautiful pink flowers that grow during
Springtime and the vivid life that comes with such a color!
The next Pink Moon will occur on the 6th of April of 2023.
Make sure not to miss out on it!
If you are fortunate, you can see the pink hue under one condition.
But when you find out what the condition is, you might not feel so lucky anymore.
It’s when there is a high concentration of air pollution in the sky, that the Moon
can appear a little pinkish, or very light red-hued.
Not such great news for our environment and health though, isn’t it.
That brings us to the end of our exploration of the different types of Super Moons.
Whether you are looking for an exciting experience or just want to appreciate the beauty of an
astronomical event, the Super Moon offers something for everyone.
So, keep your eyes open for the next Super Moon and get ready to be enthralled!
If you have a partner, it would be the perfect date idea!
You have reached the end of this video!
Thank you for watching!
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