Catch Perseids meteor shower, blue moon

The annual Perseids meteor shower is underway, and this impressive celestial phenomenon will peak on the weekend of August 12-13, followed by a spectacularly rare blue moon.

According to astrophysicist Chrystanthos Fakas, in addition to the meteor shower, August will have two full moons, on August 1 and August 31, noting that when a month has two supermoons moons, the second one is called a “blue moon”.

The supermoon phenomenon occurs when a full moon is near its closest point to Earth, making it appear up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter than when it is furthest away.

A full moon happens once in each lunar cycle, which lasts 29.5 days.

As the moon travels in an elliptical path around, rather than circular, there are times when it is closer than others.

The last time two full supermoons appeared in the same month was in 2018 – and it won’t happen again until 2037- hence the phrase “once in a blue moon”.

The Perseids celestial phenomenon began on July 17 and will last until August 24.

To watch the meteor shower, one should look at the night sky, preferably after 11 pm, in a northeast direction.

The Astronomical Society of Cyprus is organising an event on Saturday, August 12, in Kypernounta village between 2100-2300 to watch the night sky.