According to Jeddah Astronomy Society (JAS), the first “supermoon” of 2024 will be visible worldwide tomorrow. This rare event occurs when the full moon is closer to Earth than usual, making it look larger and brighter.
JAS’s Director Majed Abu Zahra said that this “supermoon”, also called “seasonal blue moon”, occurs roughly once every 2.5 years. The “seasonal blue moon” is the third full moon out of four during the current season, between the summer solstice and autumn equinox.
Abu Zahra clarified that despite the name, the moon will not appear blue, but will look like a regular full moon.
The term “supermoon” describes a full or new moon that happens when the moon is within 90% of its closest distance to Earth. In this case, the distance between the moon’s and Earth’s centers will be 361,969 kilometers, Abu Zahra explained.
The supermoon will rise in the southeast after sunset and may initially appear orange-tinted due to dust and particles in the atmosphere scattering the reflected sunlight. Howev
er, as it moves higher in the sky, it will appear the usual silvery-white and remain visible all night until sunrise on Tuesday.
While the supermoon may seem larger and brighter than an average full moon, Abu Zahra said that most observers are unlikely to notice a significant difference due to potential obstructions, such as clouds or street lights. He added that assessing its apparent size can be challenging when the moon is high in the sky.
The supermoon will have minimal impact on our planet, causing slightly higher and lower tides due to the moon’s gravitational pull, a normal monthly occurrence during full moons. This extra pull from the supermoon will not result in unusual weather or geological activity.
This is an ideal time of the month to observe the brightly lit lunar surface, as the landscape appears flattened with short shadows due to the sun fully illuminating the moon’s face.
Source: Saudi Press Agency