CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) 鈥 Stargazers are in for a double treat this week: 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鈥檚 considered blue. It鈥檚 dubbed a supermoon because it鈥檚 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鈥檚 more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) closer than the .
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鈥檚 first spectacle, better catch this one. There won鈥檛 be another blue supermoon until 2037, according to Italian astronomer Gianluca Masi, founder of the .
Clouds spoiled Masi's attempt to livestream the supermoon rising earlier this month. He鈥檚 hoping for clearer skies this time so he can capture the blue supermoon shining above St. Peter鈥檚 Basilica at the Vatican.
Weather permitting, observers don鈥檛 need binoculars or telescopes 鈥 鈥渏ust their own eyes." said Masi.
鈥淚鈥檓 always excited to admire the beauty of the night sky,鈥 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.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute鈥檚 Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
