A 'blue' supermoon is set to grace the UAE's skies this evening (Monday, August 19), illuminating the night for up to three consecutive nights. The term supermoon refers to a full Moon that aligns with its closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit. Despite the name, the Moon will not actually turn blue; rather, it will be a 'blue Moon' — the third full Moon within a season that contains four. This phenomenon causes the Moon to appear larger and brighter than usual.
According to Khadijah Ahmad, operations manager at the Dubai Astronomy Group (DAG), the supermoon can typically be observed for two to three nights, with its peak brightness and size occurring tonight, when the Moon is at its closest to Earth. However, it will still appear nearly full and impressive on the nights before and after the peak.
Mohammad Shawkat Odeh, director of the Abu Dhabi-based International Astronomy Centre, noted that the supermoon will rise shortly after sunset, appearing slightly larger due to its proximity to Earth. Khadijah recommended open spaces with clear views of the Moon, high elevated areas, or waterfront locations where the Moon's reflection can be seen on the water, as the best spots to observe this celestial event.
The DAG is also organizing a paid event at City Walk, where astronomers will assist visitors in capturing images of the supermoon through telescopes using their phones. This marks the third astronomical event to dazzle the UAE's skies this month, following the Perseids meteor shower on August 12 and the close conjunction of Mars and Jupiter on August 15.
