CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A rare blue micromoon will occur this weekend, marking the most distant and smallest-looking full moon of the year. This phenomenon, known as a blue moon, happens every two to three years when a second full moon occurs in a single month. The first full moon of May took place on May 1.
The upcoming full moon will be approximately 252,360 miles (406,135 kilometers) from Earth, making it appear smaller and dimmer than usual. This is in contrast to a supermoon, which occurs when the full moon is closer to Earth. For example, the most recent supermoon was about 225,130 miles (362,312 kilometers) away.
According to Gianluca Masi from the Virtual Telescope Project, who will host a live webcast from Italy, the micromoon will appear about 6% smaller and 10% dimmer than an average full moon, although these differences may not be noticeable to most observers.
The event will be particularly visible in regions south of the equator, including Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, eastern Australia, and parts of Antarctica, where the blue micromoon will temporarily obscure the red supergiant star Antares. Antares, located 550 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius, is known as the “heart of scorpion.”
For observers in other parts of the world, Antares will remain visible alongside the full moon. Despite its name, the blue moon will not appear in shades of blue; the term refers to the occurrence of two full moons within a single month.