Rare 2 ‘supermoons’ rise in August over Mississauga, Brampton and beyond
Published July 31, 2023 at 9:51 am
It is a good month for stargazers — August offers two “supermoons” this year.
A supermoon happens when the moon’s orbit is closest to earth at the same time the moon is full, according to NASA. At these times, the moon appears slightly brighter and larger than a regular full moon.
Astrologer Richard Nolle came up with the term “supermoons” in 1979 to describe those full moons that are the biggest and brightest.
And this August, there are two supermoons.
The full “Sturgeon Moon” rises on Tuesday, Aug. 1, and then the month closes out with the full “Blue Moon” on Aug. 30, according to Space.com.
In the Mississauga and Brampton area, the Sturgeon moon hits its ‘full’ phase around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, but at a casual glance, it will appear full from tonight through Wednesday evening.
And fortunately, while there is a chance of rain tonight (July 31), the weather forecast looks clear for Tuesday evening for full moon viewing. But bring a jacket. The temperature is expected to drop to 9 C — a big difference from last week’s heat wave.
When there are two full moons in a month — the second one is referred to as a Blue Moon. The Blue Moon rising in the evening of Aug. 30, will be even closer to the earth making it appear even larger and brighter if the weather cooperates.
The last time there were two full supermoons in the same month was in 2018, and it won’t happen again until 2037.
