Everything About the 2 Supermoons, the Sturgeon Moon & Blue Moon, That Will Be Visible on 1 & 31 Aug in Singapore

Have you heard of the sturgeon moon & blue moon? These are two supermoons that will grace the skies of Singapore (and around the world) really soon.

A supermoon is basically a full moon that orbits extremely close to Earth, so it’ll look bigger and brighter than usual.

And this year, in August 2023, people in Singapore can see such moons not once but twice in a single month.

Everything About the 2 Supermoons, the Sturgeon Moon & Blue Moon, That Will Be Visible on 1 & 31 Aug in Singapore

According to the Science Centre Observatory, stargazers in Singapore will be blessed with two supermoons in the month of August 2023.

The first is the sturgeon moon, the second of four supermoons to appear in 2023, which will appear on 1 August 2023.

At its nearest point, it will be 357,581km from earth.

The blue moon, which will be visible on 31 August 2023, is even closer at 357,182km at its nearest point.

The blue moon is expected to be the brightest and closest supermoon for the year of 2023.

Why is it called the Sturgeon Moon and Blue Moon?

The Sturgeon Moon

It was said that the moon was named after the large sturgeon fish by native Americans.

These fishes could commonly be found in the North American Great Lakes and water bodies.

The Blue Moon

The blue moon, in this case, is different from the usual seasonal definition of the blue moon.

The seasonal definition of the blue moon refers to the third full moon of an astronomical cycle with four full moons.

The blue moon, in this case, however, refers to the second full moon in a single month. This is an uncommon sight, only happening every two to three years.

Unlike its name, the blue moon isn’t actually blue.

However, there was one occasion where the moon appeared blue. Back in 1883, Indonesia’s Krakatoa had a volcanic eruption and the moon appeared blue due to the ash particles in the air.

How Do You Catch the Supermoons?

Interested in making the two occasions into a date night? Then you’d have to know this.

1 August 2023

On 1 Aug, the sturgeon moon is forecast to start rising at 7pm in the southeast direction.

The optimal height for viewing will be from 9pm, and the moon will continue rising until 1am on 2 Aug 2023.

It will then set in a southwest direction.

31 August 2023

The blue moon is predicted to start rising at a later timing at 7.34pm.

Regardless, the optimal time for viewing will be at 9pm and it’ll continue rising until 12.51am on 1 Sep 2023.

Best Areas to View the Supermoons From

According to the Science Centre Observatory, anywhere in Singapore can be a good place to view the supermoons from.

As long as the skies are clear, and the view is obstructed, that is.

Open public areas such as the Marina Barrage, East Coast Park and Southern Ridges could be good places.

The best part? You don’t need a telescope to view the supermoons. It can be seen with your naked eyes as well, although visibility still depends a lot on atmospheric conditions.

In fact, here’s a suggestion, why not get the McDonald’s Nasi Lemak Burger and make a picnic out of it.