Super Blue Moon: When will we be able to observe this strange astronomical phenomenon in Chile?

This will be the time when the natural satellite will be at its closest point to us. The super blue moon will be visible between the early hours of this Wednesday and Thursday and can be seen with the naked eye in many places. What is this phenomenon and what implications does it have on Earth? Why blue? In reality, the color has nothing to do with its name but everything to do with the date of its appearance.

This event corresponds to the full moon phenomenon which occurs for the second time in the same month of the Gregorian calendar the same one we use today in the West.

The Moon moves around our planet in an elliptical orbit, or elongated circle, with Earth closer to one side of the ellipse. Each month, the Moon passes through its closest point to Earth (perigee) and its furthest point from Earth (apogee). When the Moon is at or near its closest point to Earth at the same time that it is full, it is called a “supermoon.” During this event, because because the full moon is a little closer to us than usual appears particularly large and bright in the sky.

“And it happens from time to time, because the month has about 30 to 31 days, except for February, when the lunar cycle is 29 days with a little more time.. Sometimes there are two full moons in the same month. . We call the second moon the blue moon, even though it has nothing blue in the sense of color,” he points out. Bernardita Ried, PhD(c) in physics, honors in astrophysics, from Stanford University and broadcaster for the Department of Astronomy at the University of Chile.

In contrast, full moons that coincide with perigee are called “supermoons”, i.e. at the moment closest to the Earth which is the natural satellite. We must not forget that the lunar orbit relative to our planet is not circular, but elliptical. So in this case a A blue supermoon is a full moon that occurs for the second time in a month.

We had the first full moon in early August, and now we have the second full moon on August 30, and it’s very close to Earth as well. “How far? Well, approximately, the moon is on average about 380,000 kilometers away, but in this case it is much closer, about 360,000 kilometers away,” Ried booths. This implies that it will appear brighter, due to its proximity, and therefore also larger. According to the specialist, the Moon will have a size 7% larger than usual and a luminosity also above 15% of the average.

What time can we see it? The moon will face the sun at 9:36 p.m. on Wednesday, August 30.according to NASA. This phenomenon is visible until 6:46 a.m. Thursday, just before sunrise.

What implications could this super blue moon have on Earth? According to José Utreras, Doctor of Astronomy and Head of Audiovisual Content at the Center of Excellence in Physics and Associated Technologies (Cata) the effect of the moon on the tides will be greater and, in turn, being full, it will be aligned with the Sun. “The two therefore act together to create high tides. It is therefore expected that the tides on these days will be the highest of the year”.

Likewise, Ried specifies that this phenomenon has the same characteristics as when a supermoon occurs. “The night seems brighter, because the moon reflects the sunlight. But with the super moon, a phenomenon of greater gravitational attraction with the moon occurs and the tides increase. In fact, if an object is twice as close, the gravitational force it exerts is four times greater,” he explains.

When will this phenomenon happen again? About 25% of all full moons are supermoons, but only 3% of full moons are blue moons. As detailed on the NASA site, the time between super blue moons is quite irregular, It can be up to 20 years, but usually 10 years is the average. The following super blue moons will occur in pairs, in January and March 2037.

However, as Utreras points out, knowing this becomes more complex when detailing how this astronomical event is understood. “If we use the current definition, which is the second full moon of the same month, and we also want it to be a supermoon, This will happen again on January 31, 2037.” said.

However, if one uses the old definition, which speaks of the third full moon when they occur in the same season, that would be next year, August 19, 2024 . “What should be clear, yes, is that the definition of a blue moon is purely human,” Utreras remarks. It is defined by how we define our calendar. It has no special feature or physical significance other than it being an event that occurs most often, given as one defines a human calendar.