Prepare this month for some astrological wonders, beginning on Tuesday, Aug. 1, when the latest supermoon will be at its fullest. The moon, also known as the Sturgeon Moon, will be, on average, 15% brighter and 7% larger, varying by time and location of viewing, according to Amanda Iwaniec, director of Theatre Experiences at the Carnegie Science Center. Supermoons appear when a full moon occurs at the same time that the moon’s orbit is closest to our planet. Aug. 1 will mark the second supermoon of four consecutive supermoons this year. The next supermoon — the Blue Moon — will arrive on Aug. 30. A blue moon, which will not be blue in color,  occurs when two full moons appear in the same month. Iwaniec calls the blue moon a “bonus moon,” as it occurs between the August Sturgeon moon and the September Harvest Moon. The Sturgeon and Harvest moons occur every year, but the blue moon is a lucky bonus for stargazers — and it will be the closest and largest of all the supermoons this year.  The consecutive supermoons and blue moons are a rare site, occurring on average every three years, Iwaniec says.

Photo Credit: Dave DiCello