Not only is it Halloween, but Saturday night also marks two rare lunar events.
We are in for a blue moon and a micromoon.
According to NASA, a blue moon occurs about seven times every 19 years.
The moon will not actually be blue Saturday night, the term refers to the time when a second full moon occurs in one month.
The last full moon was on October 1.
A micromoon, opposite to a supermoon, is when the moon is at its furthest point from Earth.
Victor Arora, Observatory Coordinator at the University of Waterloo said not only will the special moon be visible all night, but Mars will also be easy to spot.
“On this evening you’ll be looking at the confluence of these two or three different cosmic events…it makes it a little bit more meaningful…If you want to see the full moon rise just basically look towards the sun, and turn around so your back is against the sun, and that’s the direction the moon will be rising from.”
Arora added being outdoors and enjoying a unique event such as a blue moon, is a great pandemic-friendly activity.
“There has been an uptick in interest among people wanting to observe in the evenings. Things like telescope sales have gone through the roof – I’ve heard, and spending time with your close circle and getting out into nature.”
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