Moonstruck: Colorado to witness a rare “Supermoon Blue Moon” tonight

Moonstruck: Colorado to witness a rare “Supermoon Blue Moon”

This Monday, August 19th, 2024, a full Blue supermoon in Aquarius will hit its peak at 12:26 p.m. MT. So, what’s the deal with a Blue Moon, what does it signify, and when can we catch another one?

The moon takes about 29.5 days to complete its cycle, which is just a bit shorter than a typical month. Because of this, sometimes a full moon can show up at the start of a month, allowing for another one to pop up later. By today’s standards, if two full moons happen in one month, the second is dubbed a Blue Moon, or a monthly Blue Moon.

There’s also a seasonal Blue Moon, which is the third full moon in a season that has four. Astronomically speaking, Blue Moons come around every two to three years. Here’s a fun tidbit: since full moons are about 29.5 days apart and February only has 28 days (or 29 in a leap year), it can never have a calendrical Blue Moon.

On August 19th, we’ll see a seasonal Blue Moon, the third of four full moons between the summer solstice and the fall equinox. It’ll look full for a few days, from the morning of August 18th through early August 21st, according to NASA,.

After this one, the next Blue Moon won’t be until May 31, 2026. Unlike other moon names like Buck or Strawberry, the Blue Moon isn’t tied to a specific time of year or astrological season.

Watch: Bear spotted wandering around Denver suburb of Lone Tree

Where is Colorado ranked on best states to live