SACRAMENTO, California —
A rare blue supermoon will light up the sky this week.
The blue supermoon will be Wednesday night, August 30, and will be opposite the sun at 6:36 PDT, according to NASA.
Because this is the second supermoon of August, it is classified as a "super blue moon." This occurs when two full moons occur in a calendar month and has nothing to do with the moon appearing blue in color. The ‘super’ moniker is added when a full moon coincides with the Moon’s closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit, a point known as perigee, according to NASA.
A supermoon appears about 17 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than the faintest moon of the year, which occurs when it’s farthest from Earth in its orbit. Even though 17 percent doesn’t make a big difference in detectable size, a full supermoon is a bit brighter than other moons throughout the year, according to NASA.
This will be the third of four supermoons in 2023, with the last being in September.
Viewing conditions should be optimal here in Northern California with clear skies expected and pleasant overnight temperatures expected. One caveat could be the presence of smoke in the Central Valley due to the Smith River Complex Fire and other wildfires burning in north part of the state.
A wind shift will result in winds blowing from the north, and the smoke will work its way down into the region. This may make the moon appear slightly more orange than normal but should not obstruct viewing.
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