PHOTOS: Rare blue supermoon dazzles stargazers around the globe
A peacock sits on a chimney as a nearly full moon rises behind it, in Hyderabad, India, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. August 30 was the month's second supermoon, when a full moon appears a little bigger and brighter thanks to its slightly closer position to Earth.
PHOTO: AP
The supermoon rises near the equestrian statue of Damdin Sukhbaatar on Sukhbaatar Square in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
A Supermoon is seen on the sky as a woman walks on the street, in Vosloorus, east of Johannesburg, South Africa, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The supermoon rises over the Mediterranean sea as a boat passes at Konnos bay near Ayia Napa and Protaras on the eastern part of the island of Cyprus, on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The supermoon rises behind Ayioi Anargiroi Orthodox church near Ayia Napa and Protaras in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The full moon rises behind the Galata tower in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The supermoon rises in the sky of Gaza City, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The supermoon rises in the sky over the houses of Gaza City, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The August Super Blue Moon sets behind a historical building and the St. Basil's Cathedral, right, as people walk in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The moon known as blue moon rises behind the small village of Ujue, northern Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
A supermoon rises over the Colosseum in Rome, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
People watch a supermoon rise above Lisbon, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
A rare Blue Supermoon rises over Lake Michigan as spectators watch from Chicago's 31st Street beach Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The supermoon, blue moon, rises behind a thick layer of clouds near a statue of the angel Moroni perched atop The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in Kensington, Md.
PHOTO: AP
A super moon rises behind Arthur Ashe Stadium at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in New York.
PHOTO: AP
A man watches from the upper deck of a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Pittsburgh Pirates as the moon rises in the distance Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo.
PHOTO: AP
A blue supermoon rises between the Salesforce Tower and the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
A peacock sits on a chimney as a nearly full moon rises behind it, in Hyderabad, India, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. August 30 was the month's second supermoon, when a full moon appears a little bigger and brighter thanks to its slightly closer position to Earth.
PHOTO: AP
The supermoon rises near the equestrian statue of Damdin Sukhbaatar on Sukhbaatar Square in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
A Supermoon is seen on the sky as a woman walks on the street, in Vosloorus, east of Johannesburg, South Africa, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The supermoon rises over the Mediterranean sea as a boat passes at Konnos bay near Ayia Napa and Protaras on the eastern part of the island of Cyprus, on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The supermoon rises behind Ayioi Anargiroi Orthodox church near Ayia Napa and Protaras in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The full moon rises behind the Galata tower in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The supermoon rises in the sky of Gaza City, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The supermoon rises in the sky over the houses of Gaza City, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The August Super Blue Moon sets behind a historical building and the St. Basil's Cathedral, right, as people walk in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The moon known as blue moon rises behind the small village of Ujue, northern Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
A supermoon rises over the Colosseum in Rome, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
People watch a supermoon rise above Lisbon, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
A rare Blue Supermoon rises over Lake Michigan as spectators watch from Chicago's 31st Street beach Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The supermoon, blue moon, rises behind a thick layer of clouds near a statue of the angel Moroni perched atop The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in Kensington, Md.
PHOTO: AP
A super moon rises behind Arthur Ashe Stadium at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in New York.
PHOTO: AP
A man watches from the upper deck of a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Pittsburgh Pirates as the moon rises in the distance Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo.
PHOTO: AP
A blue supermoon rises between the Salesforce Tower and the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
A peacock sits on a chimney as a nearly full moon rises behind it, in Hyderabad, India, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. August 30 was the month's second supermoon, when a full moon appears a little bigger and brighter thanks to its slightly closer position to Earth.
PHOTO: AP
The supermoon rises near the equestrian statue of Damdin Sukhbaatar on Sukhbaatar Square in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
A Supermoon is seen on the sky as a woman walks on the street, in Vosloorus, east of Johannesburg, South Africa, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The supermoon rises over the Mediterranean sea as a boat passes at Konnos bay near Ayia Napa and Protaras on the eastern part of the island of Cyprus, on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The supermoon rises behind Ayioi Anargiroi Orthodox church near Ayia Napa and Protaras in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus, on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The full moon rises behind the Galata tower in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The supermoon rises in the sky of Gaza City, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The supermoon rises in the sky over the houses of Gaza City, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The August Super Blue Moon sets behind a historical building and the St. Basil's Cathedral, right, as people walk in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The moon known as blue moon rises behind the small village of Ujue, northern Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
A supermoon rises over the Colosseum in Rome, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
People watch a supermoon rise above Lisbon, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
A rare Blue Supermoon rises over Lake Michigan as spectators watch from Chicago's 31st Street beach Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
The supermoon, blue moon, rises behind a thick layer of clouds near a statue of the angel Moroni perched atop The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in Kensington, Md.
PHOTO: AP
A super moon rises behind Arthur Ashe Stadium at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center during the second round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in New York.
PHOTO: AP
A man watches from the upper deck of a baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and the Pittsburgh Pirates as the moon rises in the distance Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo.
PHOTO: AP
A blue supermoon rises between the Salesforce Tower and the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023.
PHOTO: AP
A rare blue supermoon — the closest full moon of the year — dazzled stargazers Wednesday night.
Saturn joined the celestial spectacle, visible alongside the moon, at least where skies were clear.
It was the second full moon of August, thus the blue label. And it was unusually close to Earth, therefore a supermoon.
The moon appeared to be bigger and brighter than usual, given its close proximity to Earth: just 222,043 miles (357,344 kilometers) or so. The Aug. 1 supermoon was more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) farther away.
If you missed it, it will be a long wait: The next blue supermoon isn’t until 2037. But another regular supermoon is on the horizon at the end of September, the last one of the year.