A “very rare” blue supermoon will be visible across Irish skies on Monday and Tuesday, though stargazers are being urged to make the most of Monday’s visibility.
Although the view on Tuesday will be “almost as good”, sunset on Monday as the moon rises will be the best time to catch a glimpse of the larger and brighter-than-usual moon, according to Astronomy Ireland. This will be at about 8.45pm.
The Moon’s distance from Earth can vary by 15 per cent and when a full moon happens at its closest point to the Earth it is known as a supermoon.
However, to have a blue moon occur at the same time is “exceedingly rare”, Astronomy Ireland said, adding that another is not expected until 2037.
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A blue moon happens around once every two to three years when there are two full moons in a single calendar month. When this occurs, the second full moon is known as a blue moon.
“The best time to watch is at moonrise, which is the same time the sun sets, when a further effect, called ‘the moon illusion’ kicks in which can make the moon look even bigger to the human eye,” said David Moore, editor of the Astronomy Ireland magazine.
However, weather conditions might not help with visibility in some areas.
Met Éireann is forecasting drier weather extending from the southwest through the late afternoon and evening after a wet morning. Although rain will clear early in the night, frequent showers are forecast from the west, some of which may be heavy with isolated thunderstorms possible.
Astronomy Ireland appealed to members of the public to send in their best photographs of the event, with details available at astronomy.ie.
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