ST. LOUIS – On Wednesday, the third and largest supermoon of the year rose in the night sky.
“People always like to know when it’s the biggest, and supermoon is a good name,” Jim Small, president of the St. Louis Astronomical Society, said.
It’s the second full moon of the month, hence the blue moon moniker. At 222,043 miles away from Earth, it’s about 100 miles closer than any other supermoon this year.
“Visually, it’s really not that spectacular,” Small said. “You’re not going to look at the full moon tonight and say, ‘Wow, that’s so different from other full moons.’”
Because it’s only about 100 miles closer, Small explained that the difference between Wednesday night’s supermoon and any other is about the difference between a 15- and 16-inch pizza from 100 feet away. The fact that it’s a blue moon—which happens once every two and a half years—aligning with a supermoon still makes it a sight to behold.
“Having it in conjunction with a supermoon, that’s pretty rare,” Small said.
It’s not just the supermoon either, as Saturn will be visible just five degrees to the upper right of the moon. The next super blue moon similar to this one may not happen until 2037. Small said if you can check it out, you should “definitely go out and take a peek.”
If you want a closer look, you can head to the St. Louis Science Center this Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. for a free telescope viewing.