Bright and particularly large: A supermoon can be appreciated in the sky last night. According to the US space agency NASA, this occurs when the Earth’s satellite comes particularly close to our planet in its elliptical orbit and has a full moon. The full moon appears especially large and bright because of its small distance in the sky, and NASA writes that if the moon is close to Earth, it will appear up to 14 percent larger compared to its farthest point. Last night’s moon was about 360,000 kilometers away, and the next full moon will be only 357,000 kilometers away in mid-September.

Did the moon shine blue?

According to NASA, the moon is not only a supermoon, but also a seasonal “blue moon.” So the moon had a blue glow? “No, it’s the name for two full moons in a month, or the third full moon in a season with four full moons,” says NASA. There are usually three full moons in each trimester. But if there is a fourth full moon, a seasonal “blue moon” occurs. According to NASA, only six percent of all full moons are seasonal or monthly “blue moons.” Because of the rarity of the event, the English phrase “in a blue moon” means “once every jubilee”.

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