In August, skywatchers are in for a treat with not one, but two spectacular supermoons. The first, a sturgeon supermoon, will grace the night sky on Tuesday, followed by a rare blue supermoon at the end of the month.

This year, there are four supermoons, and two of them will occur in August, NPR reported.

The first one will be visible on Tuesday, while the second, a blue supermoon, will grace the skies on August 30.

Blue supermoons are a rare occurrence, and the next one won’t be seen until 2032.

A supermoon, also known as a perigean full moon, happens when the moon is full during its closest approach to Earth in its orbit.

During this time, the moon appears particularly large and radiant, shining up to 8% bigger and 16% brighter than an average full moon, as noted by The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

NASA explains that the moon’s usual orbit ranges between 226,000 and 251,000 miles from Earth, but slight variations can bring it a bit closer or farther away.

Only the closest three or four approaches each year qualify as supermoons.

The most recent one occurred on July 3, and we are in for more stunning lunar displays this August.

Written by staff