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The Blue Moon supermoon is here today, and you can watch its rise live from central Italy in a free livestream, courtesy of astronomer Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project.
The live stream begins at 3:30 p.m. EDT (7:30 p.m. GMT), and you can watch the action live here on Space.com or directly on the Virtual Telescope Project website. WebTV page or YouTube channelif the weather permits.
Related: The Blue Moon supermoon is coming. What to expect
“The show of Full moon (and of course the “supermoon”) is at its best when our satellite rises or sets, which happens at sunset and sunrise, respectively,” Masi wrote on the Virtual Telescope Project event page.
Supermoons can be particularly noticeable when they occur the moon is within 90% of its closest approach to Earth. The Moon will therefore appear about 30% brighter and 14% larger than usual at this time. However, this difference is often difficult to see with the naked eye. August’s Blue Moon will officially be full at 2:26 p.m. EDT (6:26 p.m. GMT), with rise times varying by location.
The August supermoon is the first of four consecutive supermoons this year. The closest supermoon to us occurs on October 17.
Related: How to photograph a supermoon
A Blue Moon is a bit more complicated, however, as the term actually has two meanings, and neither of them has anything to do with color. The original definition is that it is a seasonal Blue Moon, which refers to the third full moon in a season with four full moons. This is the type of Blue Moon we will see rise on August 19th. The second definition – which arose from a misunderstanding of the first – refers to the second full moon in a single calendar month.
“The supermoon offers us a great opportunity to look up and explore the sky. It shows us the breathtaking beauty up there and makes us want to enjoy it even more,” Masi wrote.
Editor’s Note: If you capture a stunning photo or video of the Blue Moon supermoon and want to share it with Space.com for a possible story, send images, videos and comments about the view and your location, along with usage permissions, to [email protected].
