World
In Pictures: Super blue moon lights up Saudi Arabia’s night sky in rare occurrence
A super blue moon lit up the sky above Saudi Arabia on August 30 – a rare phenomenon that will not be witnessed again until January 2037.
The Saudi Press Agency shared pictures of the second full moon of the month, known as a “blue” moon and as “Safar” in the Islamic calendar.
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Most months witness only one full moon, while this August featured two, according to the Jeddah Astronomy Society.
A super blue moon lit up the sky above Saudi Arabia on August 30. (SPA)
During a super moon, the moon is at its closest distance to Earth, making it look 14 percent bigger and brighter than usual, NASA said.
The full moon on Wednesday night was the third super moon in 2023 and the second during August.
A super blue moon lit up the sky above Saudi Arabia on August 30. (SPA)
Astronomers at NASA also said that stargazers might be able to spot the ringed planet Saturn circling the moon through a telescope as the night wears on.
The phrase “once in a blue moon” was inspired by this phenomenon because it refers to the appearance of a second full moon within a calendar month, which only happens once in every thirty-two months.
A super blue moon lit up the sky above Saudi Arabia on August 30. (SPA)
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