Look: Readers’ photos highlight the beauty of rare blue super moon

On Monday evening, skywatchers were treated to a spectacular sight as the rare Blue Super Moon illuminated the night sky.

Pretoria stargazers seized the moment, capturing breathtaking photos of this celestial event.

Here’s a look at some of the most stunning images shared by our readers, showcasing the beauty and wonder of this extraordinary occurrence.

 

 

 

 

This spectacular event, during which the moon appears larger and brighter than usual, will not be seen again until 2037.

NASA said a blue moon happens once every two or three years on average, but a blue moon that’s also a supermoon is even more uncommon.

The time between super blue moons can be as much as 20 years ― but in general, ten years is the average.

he next super blue moon pairing will be in January and March 2037.  

The “super” part refers to the moon’s orbit, which brings it slightly closer to Earth this month, upping its size and brightness.

How rare is it to see a supermoon?

NASA explains that supermoons occur three to four times yearly and always consecutively.

Full supermoons are the biggest and brightest full moons of the year, appearing approximately 30% brighter and 14% larger than usual.

Blue in this case, means it’s the third of four full moons this season, which is unusual. As for “sturgeon,” that refers to the Native American name for August’s full moon.

August’s full moon, which is coming Monday, August 19, has several names, including super moon, seasonal blue moon, and sturgeon moon.

In South Africa, August’s full moon is named Peace Moon.

Here are more photos taken by readers:

Also read: Several Pretoria streets to be closed for EFF march today

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