Local sky watchers may have gotten a little spoiled in 2019, with three consecutive supermoons appearing during the first three months of the year. This year will be just as good with 13 full moons, 2 supermoons and a blue moon coming in 2020.
Astronomy experts say two supermoons will be shining in the sky this year, and October will have two full moons, making the second a “blue moon” that will be glowing on Halloween. How’s that for an eerie treat?
Although blue moons occur once every two or three years, they are even more rare on Halloween. After the blue moon on October 31, 2020, trick-or-treaters will need to wait until 2039 to see the next blue moon on Halloween.
Supermoons?
Supermoons are moons that become full when their orbits are closer than average to the Earth, making them appear to be slightly bigger and as much as 30% brighter than ordinary full moons.
Although the precise definition varies in the astronomy world, most say a supermoon is a moon that tracks less than 223,000 miles from the Earth during its full phase.
Regardless of the exact definition, 2020 will feature at least two supermoons; one on March 9 and another on April 7. Space.com says the April full moon will be the biggest of the year, because it will be the closest one to our planet.
Here’s a list of the dates of each full moon in 2020.
January 10
February 9
March 9
April 7
May 7
June 5
July 5
August 3
September 2
October 1
October 31
November 30
December 29
