In August this year, we were treated to two magnificent supermoons. The one on August 30 was also the so-called Blue Moon, so we had quite an incredible sight to gaze at. Astrophotographer Miguel Claro (previously) took his camera and captured the Super Blue Moon as it was rising above a castle. He turned it into a timelapse, and it will take your breath away!
I was lucky to witness both supermoons rising in August since the skies were clear. It’s a stunning sight and the moon looked ginormous! However, the moon isn’t exactly as huge as it is in Miguel’s timelapse. But as experienced photographers among you know, it’s the result of background compression.
Nikon took his shots on the Nikon D810A at a 600mm focal length. The whole sequence was shot as the moon was rising above Monsaraz castle at Dark Sky Alqueva, in Portugal.
What is Super Blue Moon
A Super Blue Moon has nothing blue in it. In fact, the term isn’t solely astronomical. It can either refer to the second Blue Moon of the month (calendrical) or the fourth full moon in a season (seasonal). This August Blue Moon was the calendrical type. As for supermoon, it happens when our satellite gets closer to the Earth. This happens because the moon’s orbit isn’t perfectly circular, but rather elliptical.
So yeah, you guessed it – the Super Blue Moon happens when we have both the Blue Moon and the supermoon at once. And if you enjoy gazing at the full moon as I do, it sure is a marvelous sight!
[via Space.com]
FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!