MUSCAT : The full moon on Tuesday will appear slightly brighter and bigger than normal. It will be followed by the second supermoon – blue moon – on the night of August 30, 2023, which will be at a distance of 357,344kms.

According to retired NASA astrophysicist Fred Espenak, who is dubbed Eclipse for his eclipse-chasing expertise, “Warm summer nights are the ideal time to watch the full moon rise in the eastern sky within minutes of sunset. And it happens twice in August.”

The last time two full supermoons graced the sky in the same month was in 2018. It won’t happen again until 2037, state Italian astronomer Gianluca Masi, founder of the Virtual Telescope Project.

The first supermoon of 2023 was in July, the last two will be in September, with August offering closer deals than others.

Sky-gazers can look forward to a celestial treat, provided the skies are clear. Binoculars or backyard telescopes can enhance the experience, revealing such features as lunar maria — the dark plains formed by ancient volcanic lava flows — and rays emanating from lunar craters.

For all the latest news from Oman and GCC, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, like us on Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube page, which is updated daily.