The Super Moon will appear in the sky on the 31st! And there's also a romantic name
Astronomical forecasts show that the moon will reach a full moon state at 9:36 am on August 31st, which is the closest full moon to Earth throughout the year and therefore the largest full moon of the year.
Astronomical science experts have stated that as the full moon occurs on the morning of the 31st, interested public in China can enjoy this super moon on the evenings of the 30th and 31st.
When the moon and the sun are on either side of the Earth, and the ecliptic of the moon and the sun differs by 180 degrees, the roundest moon seen on Earth is called the "full moon", also known as "hope". The 14th, 15th, 16th, and even 17th of each lunar month are all possible periods when a full moon may appear.
According to Xiu Lipeng, a member of the Chinese Astronomical Society and an expert in astronomy popularization, there are usually 12 or 13 full moons in a Gregorian year. 2023 is the year of Guimao in the lunar calendar, which is a leap year with a leap second month. Therefore, there are 13 full moons, but their sizes are different.
The orbit of the moon is an ellipse, with a distance of approximately 350000 to 410000 kilometers from Earth, resulting in a different apparent diameter of the moon. According to calculations, the difference in visual diameter between the maximum and minimum full moons is approximately 14%.
This round of "super moon" is not "largest and roundest" at the same time, but "largest first and then roundest". The moon passed through perigee at 23:54 on August 30th and reached its roundest moment after 9 hours and 42 minutes.
Xiu Lipeng stated that during this full moon, the Earth is relatively close to the Moon, so the lunar surface will appear larger, making it the largest of the 13 full moons this year, with a visual diameter about 13.5% larger than the smallest full moon of the year.
It is worth mentioning that this round of "Super Moon" also has a romantic name - "Blue Moon".
When there are two full moon nights in a Gregorian month, the second full moon is given a poetic and picturesque name: "Blue Moon". The full moon on August 31st is the second full moon in August.
"The term 'blue moon' does not refer to a moon with a blue hue that can be seen with the naked eye. The color of the moon is no different from a normal full moon. This phenomenon occurs approximately every 2 to 3 years," said Xiu Lipeng.
How to appreciate the large round moon with "supermoon" superimposed on "blue moon" in this round? "The public who enjoy admiring the moon can watch it on the evenings of the 30th and 31st. After nightfall, they can pay attention and enjoy it with their naked eyes," said Xiu Lipeng.