The next full Moon will be on Wednesday night, August 30, 2023, appearing opposite the Sun (in Earth-based longitude) at 9:36 PM EDT. This will be a supermoon, a blue moon, and Rakhi/Janai Purnima.
Supermoon: A supermoon occurs when the full Moon coincides with the Moon’s closest approach to Earth (perigee). This makes the Moon appear slightly larger and brighter than usual.
Blue moon: A blue moon is the second full Moon in a month. This happens about once every two and a half years.
Raksha Bandhan: Raksha Bandhan is a Hindu festival that celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. On this day, sisters tie a rakhi (a bracelet made of thread) around their brother’s wrist, and the brother gives the sister a gift.
Janai Purnima: Janai Purnima is a Hindu festival that celebrates with family get togethers and feasts of Kwati or sprout lentils. This day is also a harbinger of rejuvenation with Hindu men renewing their Janai (secreat thread) and people flocking to Shiva temples.
The next full Moon will be the closest full Moon to Earth in 2023. It will appear about 14% larger and 30% brighter than a typical full Moon. The Moon will also be near the planet Saturn, which will appear just to the upper right of the Moon.
This is a rare and special astronomical event, so be sure to take some time to enjoy the view. If you have a telescope, you can get a closer look at the Moon and Saturn.
In addition to the supermoon and blue moon, there are a few other celestial events happening in the sky around this time. On August 24, the bright star Antares will appear near the half-full Moon. For much of North America, the Moon will pass in front of Antares. This is called an occultation.
On August 27, Saturn will be at its closest and brightest for the year. This is a good time to see Saturn through a telescope.
On August 30, the Moon will be at perigee, its closest point to Earth in its orbit. This will make the Moon appear slightly larger and brighter than usual.
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