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.

Share:
More In Science
Travis Kalanick Takes the Stand
Michael Simon, staff writer for PCWorld, discusses the Waymo vs. Uber trade secrets trial and the testimony from former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick.
Closing Bell: February 6, 2018
After two straight days of sell-offs, the major indexes waffled on Wall Street Tuesday. Space X's Falcon Heavy launched into space Tuesday afternoon. Disney, Chipotle and Snap report earnings.
Between Bells: February 6, 2018
This Changes Things: Advice for the executives and leaders of tomorrow, brought to you by American Express OPEN. On Between Bells: Falcon Heavy launch, Olympic preview, and more. With Bacardi, FHM, and Entrepreneur.
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy Launch Delayed By Strong Winds
After years of anticipation, SpaceX is supposed to launch its first ever Falcon Heavy rocket today, but strong winds could put a dent in the company's plans. Mary Beth Griggs from Popular Science explains what's causing the delay.
Opening Bell: February 6, 2018
The stock market seems to bounce back slightly following the biggest one-day drop ever recorded for the Dow and S&P 500. The Falcon Heavy is finally scheduled to launch today. Lululemon's CEO is resigning. Plus, it's our weekly trading show, The Long and the Short.
Preparing for the Falcon Heavy Launch
Hanneke Weitering, staff writer for Space.com, breaks down what could go wrong or right during SpaceX's Falcon Heavy launch. The company is planning on launching the rocket from the Kennedy Space Center Tuesday after years of delay.
Opening Bell: February 5, 2018
Apple Music is on track to outpace Spotify in the U.S. We dive into what's behind the latest ups and downs in the stock market. Sean Black, co-founder and CEO of Knock, tells Cheddar about his plans to take his company public in 2020. Plus, we break down the Super Bowl advertising wins and losses.
Load More