The last blue moon until 2024 shines in the sky

On Thursday night, astronomy enthusiasts were able to observe a rare phenomenon: the last super blue moon before 2024. This amazing sight has captivated people all over the world. In this case, the Moon is closest to the Earth and is also directly opposite the Sun.

The Earth’s satellite usually moves at an average distance of 384,400 km. But during this phenomenon it was only about 363,000 kilometers away. Therefore, it appeared 14 percent larger than usual.

All over the world, people turned their eyes to the sky to marvel at this rare event. Even the US Open tennis stars had to leave the show briefly for the full moon special.

Despite its name, this moon does not actually appear blue. The expression “blue moon” comes from the English language and describes a very rare condition.

A “blue moon”, translated in German as “blue moon” (or simply “supermoon”), is a rare lunar event. On average, this only happens every two and a half years. It marks the second full moon within a calendar month.

But despite its beauty, this phenomenon can also have negative effects: the force of its gravity can cause larger tides and thus promote flooding. An example of this is the Florida coast after Hurricane Idalia. The next super blue moon is not expected to appear again until September 2024.