Supermoons in August

The moon revolves around the Earth at all times. Due to this, the moon goes through different phases. Sometimes, we can see the full moon in the night sky, other times, it can be a crescent, half or new moon (no visible moon). 

A supermoon occurs when the moon is closest to the Earth and is in its full moon phase. When these two events happen together, it is called a supermoon. During a supermoon, the moon appears 14 to 30 percent larger in the sky. The moon follows an elliptical (oval) orbit. This means that at certain points in the orbit, the moon is either the closest or farthest from the Earth. 

August is a special month for stargazers because there will be two supermoons this month. The first supermoon will be visible on August 1, 2023. The moon will be at its peak at 12:02 AM on August 2. The supermoon can be viewed using binoculars or telescopes. On August 31, the second supermoon will occur. It will peak at 7:05 AM, suggesting that it may not be visible from India. 

The supermoon on August 1 is the second supermoon of the year. The first occurred on July 3. The last supermoon of 2023 will occur on September 29.