How To See The Blue Supermoon Tonight

Did you notice a strange red hue washing over the sky last night? Rather than shepherd’s delight, this follows disaster on the other side of the Atlantic, where wildfires have been raging all summer. As smoke is pumped into the atmosphere, it has been picked up and carried to British skies by the jet stream, creating unusual hues in the sky. Don’t worry: the smoke is too high to cause any damage to our health. The red, brown and orange shades are expected to continue tonight, and it should be a special treat for skywatchers as it coincides with a blue supermoon. Here’s how to get the best viewing experience.

Blue Supermoon August 2024: How To See It

Scrap your evening plans and head out at dusk (around 8pm in the UK) to see the rare blue supermoon tonight. Also known as the sturgeon moon, the Moon will emerge from the sky as it darkens, appearing larger and brighter than normal.

If the weather remains clear and there isn’t too much cloud cover, the sturgeon moon will be easy to see. If you’d like to get the best view, get away from town and city centres and areas of light pollution and head into the countryside.

Do I Need Binoculars?

No binoculars necessary, as tonight, the moon will be 23,000 km closer to us than usual, making it look a seventh larger and brighter than normal. So just look up and enjoy the drama.

If you do have binoculars or a telescope handy, you will be able to see more detail on the moon’s surface than usual.

What Is A Blue Supermoon?

A supermoon is a rare lunar phenomenon in which the Moon’s orbit brings it closer to Earth, making it seem brighter and bigger than usual. If this all sounds a bit familiar, that’s because we saw a blue supermoon in August 2023, too. But don’t rest on your laurels: the next blue supermoon reportedly won’t happen until 2037. Binoculars at the ready, people.

Also, don’t be fooled by the name: the ‘blue’ of ‘blue supermoon’ refers to the third full moon in a season with four full moons – as is the case tonight – or the second full moon in a month with two full moons. This is where the phrase ‘once in a blue moon’ comes from. So we won’t see any mysterious blue shades washing over the Moon’s pocked surface, though we might see some intriguing red, orange or even pink hues thanks to the smoke particles washing over the nation at present.

When Is The Next Supermoon?

Supermoons happen three to four times every year when the Moon is closest to Earth in its elliptical orbit. This is when the Moon is at its largest and shiniest, creating dramatic scenes across the globe – if the moon is further along in its cycle, that is. Indeed, some supermoons cannot be seen at all, because it’s a new moon and only a sliver of the lunar rock is visible. In 2024, we can expect three more supermoons: in September, October and November.