The blue supermoon which appears once every two to three years lighted up the world this week, and was sighted over Accra on Monday night.
When a full moon rises during its closest point to Earth in its orbit, it is known as a supermoon.
Even more uncommon, a blue moon occurs when there are two full moons in a single month or four full moons in a season.
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One reason for this is because there may be a second full moon since the lunar cycle is marginally shorter than the calendar month.
Blue moons aren’t truly blue; the moon may appear reddish due to dust from North American wildfires.
The expression “once in a blue moon” originates from the fact that it only occurs once every two to three years.
During a supermoon, the moon appears up to 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter compared with when it is furthest away.
When the moon is within nine percent of its closest approach to Earth, it is referred described as a supermoon.
Astrologer Richard Nolle first used the term in 1979 to describe a new or full moon.
There will be one more supermoon on September 18, another on October 17, and a final one on November 15 after this one so wherever you are in the capital look out for the magnificent blue supermoon on any of these days.
Even though the blue supermoon on Monday is unusual, the one in September also happens to be partially eclipsed by the moon, which is another spectacle to behold.
