Sky will have a Blue Moon and a micromoon at the same time between Saturday and Sunday; understand the phenomenon and how to see it

Blue full moon happens this Sunday (31) Gary Seronik Between Saturday night (30) and Sunday dawn (31), the sky will offer an unusual astronomical spectacle: the Full Moon that appears at the end of May will be, at the same time, a Blue Moon and a micromoon — two phenomena that rarely coincide. The phenomena can be seen from any region of Brazil, peaking at the end of Saturday night (30) and the beginning of Sunday dawn (31). Blue Moon phenomenon can be observed this weekend What is a Blue Moon? Despite the suggestive name, the Moon will not turn blue. The term is an expression of astronomical folklore to explain the second Full Moon that occurs within the same month — a situation that deviates from the standard, since it is normal to have only one per month. This happens in a cycle every two years and requires an exact combination of factors.

The lunar cycle lasts about 29.5 days. For a Blue Moon to happen, it is necessary: That the first Full Moon of the month falls on the first or second day; That the month has 31 days, opening space for a second one.

Micromoon will happen at the same time The Moon's orbit around the Earth is not a perfect circle, but an ellipse. This means that the distance between the two bodies varies constantly. At the point of greatest distance — called apogee — the Moon appears slightly smaller in the sky than usual. When the full phase coincides with the apogee, we have the so-called micromoon. Normally, the Moon is about 384,000 km from Earth. This Sunday, it will be 406,135 km away — its farthest point of the month —, which will make it visibly smaller and a little less bright than a common Full Moon. The difference, however, is that this phenomenon is not so noticeable to the naked eye. The bonus: Antares on the horizon As if the combination were not enough, the Full Moon of May 31 will get a special touch.

Throughout the dawn, it will be close to Antares, the brightest star in the constellation of Scorpio, known for its characteristic reddish glow. The contrast between the red of Antares and the silver of the Moon promises a visually striking scene. The peak of this apparent approach will occur at the end of the dawn, close to the moment the Moon sets on the horizon.