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A super blue moon is a full moon, blue moon, and a super moon all at once. Don’t be deceived by the name—a blue moon isn’t because the moon is blue; that’s just the nickname used for the second full moon that occurs in a month. A super moon is when the moon’s orbit brings it a little closer to Earth, causing it to look bigger and brighter. The combination of a super moon and blue moon is rare.
The full moon’s peak took place on Monday afternoon, at 2:26 p.m. EDT, but it’ll be visible until early Wednesday morning. All you need to do is look up at the sky to view the spectacle (though experts say that people using telescopes and binoculars will be able to see more detail on the moon’s surface than they usually would). You do need a fairly clear sky to see the moon, so check your local forecast to make sure the weather won’t obstruct your view.
If you missed the sight on Monday night, photographers captured stunning images of the moon. Here are some of the best photos:
The Eiffel Tower appears to shine a spotlight on a super blue moon in Paris, France, Aug. 19, 2024.Christian Hartmann—Reuters
A super blue moon rises over the Statue of Liberty in New York, Aug. 19, 2024. Fatih Aktas—Anadolu/Getty Images
A super blue moon rises over the Temple of Poseidon, near Athens, Greece, on Aug. 19, 2024. Louiza Vradi—Reuters
People gather to watch the moon in White Sand National Park near Alamogordo, New Mexico, Aug. 19, 2024.
Jose Luis Gonzalez—Reuters
A rare super blue moon is seen next to a building near the city of Eindhoven, Netherlands on Aug. 19, 2024. Nicolas Economou—NurPhoto/Getty Images
A rare super blue moon rises over the Golden Gate Bridge as seen from Sausalito, Calif. on Aug.19, 2024. Scott Strazzante—San Francisco Chronicle/Getty Images
The Christ the Redeemer statue in the foreground of a super blue moon in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 20, 2024. AFP/Getty Images
A jet plane flies by a super blue moon as seen from Van Nuys, Calif., Aug 19, 2024.Gene Blevins—ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock 
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