KARACHI: Stargazers in Pakistan are in for a treat tonight as the country will witness a rare super blue moon, as reported by the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco).
This special event happens exactly a year after the Sturgeon moon shone brightly on August 1 and a super blue moon wowed the world on August 30 last year.
According to Suparco, the blue moon will be visible in Pakistan tonight at 11:26 PM. This is the first supermoon of the year, making it a must-see event.
There are also three more supermoons expected this year, on September 18, October 17, and November 15.
A supermoon occurs when the moon is closest to Earth during its orbit, about 363,300 kilometers away. This makes the moon look 14% bigger and 30% brighter than usual.
Understanding Supermoons and Blue Moons
While ‘supermoon’ isn’t an official scientific term, it’s commonly used to describe this close full moon.
Normally, there’s one full moon each month. But sometimes, two full moons happen in the same month. The second one is called a Blue Moon.
The name ‘Blue Moon’ can be confusing since the moon doesn’t actually turn blue. It simply refers to the rare occurrence of an extra full moon.
Astronomers explain that there are two types of blue moons: one called a ‘seasonal blue moon,’ which is the third full moon in a season that has four full moons, and another known as a ‘monthly blue moon,’ which is the second full moon in a single calendar month. This year’s blue moon is a ‘seasonal blue moon,’ being the third full moon in a season with four full moons.
