What is blue moon which will shine in August? Here's how you can watch it

The month of August will witness a different kind of moon, which has been designated as the blue moon.The blue moon is not very different from any other full moon but has always intrigued skywatchers.

A full moon is one of the phases of the moon and ablue moonis the designation given to some of the full moons.

What is a blue moon?

The full moon in the month of August is called the "blue moon". People get the sight of this moon once every two or three years.

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A blue moon happens because of the uneven cycle of moon phases. It generally takes 29.5 days forthe moonto go through all of its 12 phases.

Because of the uneven cycle, the 13th full moon appears after every two and a half years.

What are two types of blue moons?

The blue moons have till now been defined in two ways. First is the seasonal blue moon which refers to the third full moon in one season that has fourfull moons, as per NASA.

The second term type of the blue moon is the one which is seen within a single calendar month.

When will the next blue moon appear?

According to Space.com, the next blue moon will appear in the sky on August 19. The full blue moon phase will be at its peak at 2:26 p.m. ET (1826 GMT).

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The last time it occurred was on August 30, 2023. The blue moon can be seen with naked eyes and the sky watchers do not need any instrument to watch it.

How can you capture a blue moon?

The best pictures of the blue moon can be clicked on high-definition and advanced cameras. Smartphones can also be used to capture the blue moon.

One should keep their phone charged and find a good location from where the best and clearest view of the moon can be seen and wait for it to peak to capture its best image.

(With inputs from agencies)