By Marcia Dunn
Stargazers are in for a double treat on Aug. 30: a rare blue supermoon with Saturn peeking from behind.
The cosmic curtain rises Wednesday night with the second full moon of the month, the reason it’s considered blue. It’s dubbed a supermoon because it’s closer to Earth than usual, appearing especially big and bright.
This will be the closest full moon of the year, just 222,043 miles (357,344 kilometers) or so away. That’s more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) closer than the Aug. 1 supermoon.
As a bonus, Saturn will be visible as a bright point 5 degrees to the upper right of the moon at sunset in the east-southeastern sky, according to NASA. The ringed planet will appear to circle clockwise around the moon as the night wears on.
If you missed the month’s first spectacle, better catch this one. There won’t be another blue supermoon until 2037, according to Italian astronomer Gianluca Masi, founder of the Virtual Telescope Project.
Clouds spoiled Masi's attempt to livestream the supermoon rising earlier this month. He’s hoping for clearer skies this time so he can capture the blue supermoon shining above St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.
Weather permitting, observers don’t need binoculars or telescopes — “just their own eyes." said Masi.
“I’m always excited to admire the beauty of the night sky,” he said, especially when it features a blue supermoon.
The first supermoon of 2023 was in July. The fourth and last will be in September.
Deaths from the coronavirus in the U.S. have soared to more than 2,200 a day on average.
Viraj Puri, co-founder and CEO of Gotham Greens, said the sector is well-positioned to grow amid climate-related challenges and other supply chain issues.
China and Nepal jointly announced a new official height for Mount Everest on Tuesday, ending a discrepancy between the two nations.
The U.K. is the first Western country to start a mass vaccination program after British regulators last week authorized the use of a COVID-19 shot developed by U.S. drugmaker Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech.
Lisa Callahan, vice president and general manager of commercial civil space at Lockheed Martin, discussed partnering with Blue Origin for a moon mission and the potential for going even further...all the way to Mars.
Due to these ongoing challenges, it's vital to feel secure about the air you're breathing.
The 6,400-pound shipment includes Christmas treats and presents for the seven station residents. NASA isn't divulging any of the gifts, but roasted turkey and cranberry sauce are on the way.
From Wall Street to Silicon Valley, these are the top stories that moved markets and had investors, business leaders, and entrepreneurs talking this week on Cheddar.
Josh Earnest, chief communications officer for United, spoke to Cheddar about the logistics of transporting the COVID-19 vaccine by air.
Biden stopped just short Thursday of the nationwide mandate he’s pushed before to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
