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super moons

Two super moons in the UAE sky in August

Residents and visitors to the UAE will soon be able to observe two super moons of incredible spectacle and beauty. The first celestial phenomenon will take place on Tuesday, 1 August, while the second will take place on 30 August and will be the biggest and brightest super moon of 2023.

The Dubai Astronomical Society (DAG) is organising an event to celebrate the first super moon. It will take place on Tuesday (August 1) from 7pm to 9pm at the Al Thuraya Astronomy Centre in Mushrif Park. As part of the event, guests will not only be able to observe the super moon, but also take photos of the phenomenon on their phones through the DAG telescopes. Admission is free for members of the Dubai Astronomical Society.

As explained by DAG representatives, a super moon is a full and new moon that coincides with perigee – the maximum approach of the Moon and Earth in an elliptical orbit. As a result of this coincidence, the apparent size of the moon’s disc becomes much larger than usual.

According to astronomers, the super moon on 30-31 August will be the brightest in 2023: the Moon will approach the Earth at 357,343 km, while the average distance to the Earth is 384,472 km. The next super moon will take place on 5 November 2025, when the Moon will be only 356,979 km away from Earth.

This year – four supermoons. The phenomenon that will occur on 1 August will be the second super moon of 2023. It is called the Sturgeon Moon, because the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain in North America traditionally catch giant sturgeon during this period. The super moon on 31 August is called the Blue Moon. It comes from the expression “Once in a Blue Moon”, meaning “extremely rare”, and has nothing to do with the colour of the astronomical phenomenon.

Source: Khaleej Times

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