It's been a while since we've had a special celestial occurrence to get excited about. The first half of 2023 was chock-full of astronomical events – remember the rare green comet? Or when a truck-sized asteroid whizzed past Earth? How about the Lyrid meteor shower? And now, we've got another on the radar: an actual, real-life blue supermoon will rise above Melbourne this August. And better yet it’s not just one moon, but two. This is not a drill.
A blue moon (despite its deceptive name) is not actually blue. Rather, it refers to when two full moons appear in the space of one calendar month. This year in August, everyone Down Under and across the world will be treated to the stunning sight of two very bright full moons lighting up the heavens.
Where can I see the supermoon in Melbourne?
For Melburnians, you’ll be able to see a glowing supermoon early in the morning on August 2, 2023. This will be the first full moon of the month, and will be within 90 per cent of its closest orbit to Earth, making it appear much brighter and larger than a usual full moon. This is traditionally known as a ‘sturgeon’ moon, which is derived from the Old Farmers’ Almanac (published in the United States in 1792) that labelled the August moon the ‘sturgeon moon’ due to it being the best time of year to catch sturgeon fish. The more you know.
The time period between two full moons in one month is approximately 29.5 days. As such, the blue moon will roll into Melbourne’s celestial airspace at midday on August 31, 2023. This moon will reportedly be the biggest moon of the year, and will probably also be pretty spectacularly bright. We imagine the best time to see it will be at dusk, so make sure you take yourself to an excellent viewing point.
If we know one thing for sure, it’s that when a blue moon comes around, we want to be there to see it – so clear your calendar and get excited.