Douglas Jones
NASA's Webb telescope offers new look at Ring Nebula
The bright Ring Nebula rests about 2,200 light-years away from Earth and is visible on clear summer evenings in the northern hemisphere.
LEARN MOREPosted: 11:10 p.m. EDT Aug 29, 2023
It happens once in a blue moon...
You've heard the expression many times.
The rare Super Blue Moon that will be visible in the night sky on August 30 will not be seen again until 2037.
It won't be blue in color — the term Super Blue Moon refers to either the third out of four Blue Moons this season, or the second of two full Moons in one calendar month.
The planet Saturn will appear five degrees to the upper right of the Blue Moon, and will swing clockwise around our Moon as the evening progresses, NASA says.
Sky-watchers will have a chance to catch a glimpse of the rare Super Blue Moon after sunset on Wednesday. It will rise in the eastern sky in some cities, like in New York.
Italian astronomer Gianluca Masi has posted his free livestream, which was counting down until the start of the visibility window for the rare Super Moon.
The stream was set to start at 11:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 30.
Wednesday's full Moon will be the second full Moon in August, which qualifies it to be a Blue Moon.
NASA points out that this Blue Moon has some additional significance this year, as it aligns with a celebration on Earth.
Its appearance will correspond with the Hindu festival Raksha Bandhan, or Rakhi Purnima — which celebrates the bonds between brothers and sisters.
