The Moons of August

 

 

 

Is there anything more beautiful than the summer moons?  Yes, every night the moon is beautiful, but there is something very special about the summer moons, the fireflies, and a warm breeze through green leaves...

August begins with a full moon, the Sturgeon Moon. This moon is extra big and bright, the closest approach to earth in its orbit. They call this a supermoon.

I hope you had a chance to see it.  There are many photos from all over the world online. You can see some here,  from Space.com.  But even if you missed it, the waning moon is still wonderful to see, like a wisp of cloud in the morning sky.

There will be a new moon, beginning again on August 16.  Keep this in mind if you are looking for the Perseid meteor shower, which peaks on August 13-14.   

 The second full moon of August will be on August 30.  They are calling this a blue moon,  not because the moon will be blue, but because this doesn't happen very often.  Once in a blue moon used to mean something almost impossible.  

Has the moon ever turned blue?  Yes, according to Space. com.  The ash from the eruption of the Krakatoa volcano  in 1883 caused unusually vivid sunsets, and also gave the moon a bluish green color! You can read more about it here.