According to NASA, the next blue supermoon won’t appear again until January and March of 2037. On average, blue supermoons occur about once every 10 years, though the gap can stretch to 20 years—and sometimes they show up sooner than expected.
Simply looking up at the sky can be an incredible experience, something many of us miss while living in light-polluted cities. A short drive beyond city limits can reveal a breathtaking panorama of color, depth, and light.
Every now and then, the universe puts on a show that reminds us just how small we are. Last night’s blue supermoon was one of those rare moments—visible to people across the globe. Let’s dive in and talk about this stunning celestial event.
1/
2/
3\
It may also be super because of its perceived influence. I mean, we’ve got a whole bunch of superstitions related to the Moon, from it influencing people’s dreams, odd behaviors, and even the growth of plants.
While it may be why I get itchy and sprout hair on full moons, most beliefs surrounding the Moon are woefully inaccurate.
For example, the astrologer Richard Nolle, who started the idea of the supermoon, firmly believes that many seismic events and bad weather can be blamed on the Moon.
He describes the “major geophysical stress window” as a period of 7 days, swiftly being rebutted by astronomer Phil Plait, who says that pretty much anything could happen in such an extended period.
4\
6\
However, Phil Plait has a further bone to pick with bad supermoon astronomy. To his annoyance (and Richard’s fame), many earthquakes get written down as “caused by the moon’s influence.”
Astronomer Phil looks at these numbers and then looks at the fact
The United States Geological Survey records earthquakes, and there are about 1469 of them with a magnitude greater than five yearly. That’s about four daily, so you could pick any random day when a > 5-magnitude earthquake is happening and attribute it to the poor Moon.
I’m more of the thought that we shouldn’t be blaming things on the Moon but somewhat corrupt politicians. Something along the lines of “Mother Earth demands a blood sacrifice,” but maybe that’s just me.
7/
8/
9/
10/
11/
“Regular” supermoons happen about 3-4 times yearly out of the 12-13 possible new or full moons. If you were blissfully sleeping during this one, you’d still have a chance to witness another on September 29, 2023.
If you’re looking for a bombastic date to turn into a werewolf, December 6, 2052, is the date to jot down in your calendar, as that’s the next full supermoon.
Although a common phrase for something happening rarely is “once in a blue moon,” it turns out you’ve been lied to – those moons are not blue. According to NASA award winner Space Place, “A blue moon is special because it is the ‘extra’ Moon in a season with four full moons.”