This year we have witnessed four supermoons in a row.
A spectacular Blue Supermoon was visible last night. From Sofia to Seoul, the Moon was 14% larger and 30% brighter than usual.
The peak brightness of the moon was captured by a BGNES photojournalist 25 minutes after 9 pm last night from the center of Sofia.
This is the first of four supermoons for 2024. The next three supermoons in a row will be on September 17, October 17 and November 15. The closest supermoon will be the one in October. After that, we won't see another Blue Supermoon (by seasonal definition) until August 20, 2032.
The term "supermoon" was coined in 1979 by the American astronomer Richard Knoll to denote a phenomenon "that occurs when the Moon is 90% of its closest approach to Earth". This is because the Moon, as a natural satellite of the Earth, follows an elliptical trajectory in space. At a distance of about 363,000 km from Earth, the Moon appears 14% larger and 30% brighter than usual. According to NASA, these moons "are the biggest and brightest full moons of the year."
But what sets this supermoon apart from the rest is that it's "blue." Well, not quite: "A blue moon is an expression used to refer to a full moon seen twice in the same month," NASA explains. | BGNES
