The Blue Supermoon

Just as the Earth doesn't orbit the sun in a perfect circle, the moon's orbit around Earth isn't perfectly circular either. Instead, the moon follows an elliptical path, creating an oval-like orbit. This elliptical orbit means that sometimes the moon is closer to Earth. When the moon is both full and at its closest point, it’s called a supermoon, appearing brighter and larger than usual.

Supermoons happen about three to four times a year. The term "supermoon" was first introduced in 1979, though astronomers refer to this event as a perigean full moon. Perigee is the closest point in the moon’s orbit, which averages about 226,000 miles from Earth.

A blue moon is simpler to explain and relates to the frequency of full moons. There are two types of blue moons: monthly and seasonal.

A monthly blue moon occurs when there are two full moons in one month. Monday’s full moon, however, is a seasonal blue moon: it’s the third full moon in a season that has four full moons. Typically, a season only has three full moons, but the summer of 2024 has four.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Calorogus Shark Media. Welcome to sleep from space, where we
lull you to sleep with the wonders of the cosmos.
Tonight we drift through the mysteries of the blue supermoon.
Imagine yourself floating in the vast expanse of space, gazing

(00:23):
at the Earth below. As you orbit, you notice something
peculiar about our celestial companion, the Moon. On this special
Monday night, the moon appears different. It's not just any
full moon, but a blue supermoon, a rare cosmic event
that combines two celestial phenomena. First, we have the supermoon.

(00:45):
Picture the Moon's orbit as an oval rather than a
perfect circle. Sometimes it comes closer to Earth, appearing larger
and brighter in our night sky. This is a supermoon,
occurring just a few times each year. Now add to
this the concept of a blue moon. No, the moon
doesn't actually turn blue. It's simply the third of four

(01:06):
full moons in a single season. Usually we only see three.
As you drift in space, you might wonder how often
this celestial dance occurs. Typically, we witness this cosmic waltz
once every decade, but the universe has surprised us gifting
two blue supermoons in consecutive years. If you were to

(01:30):
look closely from your vantage point in space, you'd see
the moon reach its fullest at precisely two twenty six
pm Eastern daylight time. But don't worry if you miss
that exact moment. The moon will appear full for three
whole days, giving you plenty of time to bask in
its gentle glow. As your mind begins to slow and

(01:52):
your eyelids grow heavy, imagine the Moon's light washing over
the Earth. It illuminates the sturgeons swimming in the Great Lakes,
a nod to the Native American name for August's full moon.
Before you drift off to sleep, remember that the cosmos
has more surprises in store. Three more supermoons will grace

(02:15):
our skies this year, in September, October, and November, each
one a celestial lullaby, singing the Earth to sleep. As
you float in the vastness of space, let the gentle
light of the blue supermoon guide you into peaceful slumber.
Good Night, dear traveler, and sweet dreams among the stars.