Get Ready for a Wonderful Astronomical Phenomenon: It Won't Happen Again Until 2032

August bids farewell to sky watchers with a remarkable astronomical event that won't occur again until 2032. On the night of August 30, the sky will host the "Blue Moon," or "Blue Full Moon," a term used to refer to an additional full moon when Earth residents witness two full moons in one month. Among the four supermoon phenomena of 2023, August has captured two of them. The first supermoon appeared on the first day of August, known as the "Sturgeon Moon," and was approximately 7.1% larger and about 15.6% brighter than the average full moon. The term supermoon means that the moon is at its closest point to Earth, making it appear larger and brighter than a typical full moon. The "Blue Supermoon" will reach its peak fullness at 1:36 AM GMT on August 31 (9:35 PM Eastern Time on August 30). The Blue Supermoon will appear slightly larger than usual, although this will only be by 7%. To the naked eye, this size difference may not be noticeable; however, it will be the largest and brightest supermoon of the year. Additionally, August 2023 will feature a special guest in the sky: Saturn. The ringed gas giant will be just a few days past its opposition, the point at which it is directly opposite the sun as viewed from Earth, making it particularly bright in the night sky.