How the Blue Supermoon Looked Around the World

Jeffrey Kluger
·3 min read
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Hikers watch the super blue moon from the summit of Piestewa Peak in Phoenix on Aug. 30, 2023. Credit - Rob Schumacher—The Republic/USA TODAY NETWORK/Reuters

Judging by today’s media coverage, you’d think people had never seen a full moon before. You’d think they’d never seen a supermoon, either. That's a full moon that occurs when the moon is at its perigee—or closest approach to us—just 357,000 km (222,000 miles) from Earth, making it appear 14% larger and 30% brighter than it is. But about 25% of all full moons are super moons, according to NASA, which means we’ve surely all seen them just by looking up at the sky.

But a blue supermoon? That’s an entirely different story. A blue moon is not actually blue at all; that is simply the nickname that’s given to the second full moon that occurs in a month, and the phenomenon does not happen often; just 3% of full moons are also blue moons, according to NASA. The rarest shy show of all occurred last night—and will continue tomorrow (Sept. 1)—when a combination of full moon plus super moon plus blue moon appeared in the southeastern sky. If you miss it, you’ll have to wait a while for the next one: according to NASA, the next blue supermoon will not occur until 2037—and even that’s a bit of a rush job. Typically, blue supermoons occur only once every 20 years or so.

Telescopes, binoculars and naked eyes around the planet turned skyward after the moon rose across time zones last night. NASA did its part to keep the audience growing. “The moon is doing the most: it’s a blue supermoon!” the space agency posted to its 76.2 million followers on X (formerly Twitter). But with a bright, silver, platter like a blue supermoon hanging in the sky, most folks likely didn’t need any reminder it was there.

If you missed the sky-show—and can’t see tonight’s—here’s just a sampling of how last night's sky spectacular looked from around the world.

A view of the super blue moon behind the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt on Aug. 31, 2023.<span class="copyright">Mohamed Elshahed—Anadolu Agency/Getty Images</span>
A view of the super blue moon behind the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt on Aug. 31, 2023.Mohamed Elshahed—Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
The super blue moon rising behind a windmill in Consuegra, Ciudad Real province, Spain on Aug. 30, 2023.<span class="copyright">Thomas Coex—AFP/Getty Images</span>
The super blue moon rising behind a windmill in Consuegra, Ciudad Real province, Spain on Aug. 30, 2023.Thomas Coex—AFP/Getty Images
A super blue moon rises behind a ferris wheel located at Stokes Hill Wharf in Darwin, Australia on Aug. 31, 2023.<span class="copyright">David Gray—AFP/Getty Images</span>
A super blue moon rises behind a ferris wheel located at Stokes Hill Wharf in Darwin, Australia on Aug. 31, 2023.David Gray—AFP/Getty Images
A plane flying by the super blue moon in Sydney in Australia on Aug. 31, 2023.<span class="copyright"> Izhar Khan—NurPhoto/Getty Images</span>
A plane flying by the super blue moon in Sydney in Australia on Aug. 31, 2023. Izhar Khan—NurPhoto/Getty Images
The super blue moon appears in the night sky over Ben Buckler cliffs at Bondi Beach, Sydney, on Aug. 31, 2023.<span class="copyright">Dan Himbrechts—AAPIMAGE/Reuters</span>
The super blue moon appears in the night sky over Ben Buckler cliffs at Bondi Beach, Sydney, on Aug. 31, 2023.Dan Himbrechts—AAPIMAGE/Reuters
The Super Blue Moon rises behind the Statue of Liberty seen from Liberty State Park in Jersey City, NJ on Aug. 30, 2023.<span class="copyright">Tariq Zehawi—NorthJersey.com/USA TODAY NETWORK/Reuters</span>
The Super Blue Moon rises behind the Statue of Liberty seen from Liberty State Park in Jersey City, NJ on Aug. 30, 2023.Tariq Zehawi—NorthJersey.com/USA TODAY NETWORK/Reuters
The super blue moon rises over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco on Aug. 30, 2023. <span class="copyright">Tayfun Coskun—Anadolu Agency/Getty Images</span>
The super blue moon rises over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco on Aug. 30, 2023. Tayfun Coskun—Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
The super blue moon rises in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, on Aug. 30, 2023. <span class="copyright">Saqib Majeed—SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images</span>
The super blue moon rises in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, on Aug. 30, 2023. Saqib Majeed—SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images
The super blue moon is visible over the stands after the first Vitality IT20 match at the Seat Unique Riverside, Durham, England on Aug. 30, 2023.<span class="copyright">Owen Humphreys—PA Images Reuters</span>
The super blue moon is visible over the stands after the first Vitality IT20 match at the Seat Unique Riverside, Durham, England on Aug. 30, 2023.Owen Humphreys—PA Images Reuters
The super blue moon rises behind Marina Bay Sands observation deck in Singapore on Aug. 31, 2023. <span class="copyright">Roslan Rahman—AFP/Getty Images</span>
The super blue moon rises behind Marina Bay Sands observation deck in Singapore on Aug. 31, 2023. Roslan Rahman—AFP/Getty Images
The super blue moon sets between the Balmoral Clock and the Scott Monument in Edinburgh on Aug. 31, 2023.<span class="copyright">Jane Barlow—PA Images/Getty Images</span>
The super blue moon sets between the Balmoral Clock and the Scott Monument in Edinburgh on Aug. 31, 2023.Jane Barlow—PA Images/Getty Images
The super blue moon sets behind a historical building and the St. Basil's Cathedral, right, as people walk in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, on Aug. 30, 2023.<span class="copyright">Alexander Zemlianichenko—AP</span>
The super blue moon sets behind a historical building and the St. Basil's Cathedral, right, as people walk in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, on Aug. 30, 2023.Alexander Zemlianichenko—AP
The super blue moon rises over Leeds, Yorkshire on Aug. 30, 2023.<span class="copyright">Danny Lawson—PA Wire/AP</span>
The super blue moon rises over Leeds, Yorkshire on Aug. 30, 2023.Danny Lawson—PA Wire/AP

Write to Jeffrey Kluger at jeffrey.kluger@time.com.