JACKSON, Wyo. — A number of labels can be applied to the upcoming full moon on Aug. 30, as the stars proverbially align for a super, blue, full moon.
This is the third supermoon of 2023, meaning the moon is near its closest point to Earth at the same time it is full. It appears big and bright in the sky, or “super.”
It is also the second full moon in a single month, making it a “monthly” Blue moon and also causing there to be 13 full moons in 2023, something that can be seen as lucky, or unlucky, depending on cultural and religious beliefs. There are also “seasonal” Blue moons, which occur when there are four full moons in a single season instead of the usual three. Although called a blue moon, the moon will not actually appear blue.
According to NASA, the occurrence of a super blue moon is quite rare.
“About 25 percent of all full moons are supermoons, but only three percent of full moons are blue moons,” says NASA. “The time between super blue moons is quite irregular. It can be as much as 20 years, but in general, 10 years is the average. The next super blue moons will occur in a pair, in January and March 2037.”
Over the Jackson Hole valley, the moon will rise at 8:19 p.m. on Wednesday and set at 7:18 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 31, so if you’re an early riser, you can catch it twice. The moon will also be big and bright and appear full to the naked eye in the days following the full moon, with illumination at 99% and 97% on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, respectively.
