South Africa to see another stunning Supermoon soon

Didn’t get enough of the glorious Supermoon last night? Don’t worry, there will be another one very soon…

South Africans were treated to a real spectacle in the sky overnight, after a Supermoon event took place. Earth’s natural satellite was at its annual ‘closest point’ to our planet, appearing much larger and brighter than usual.

LOOK: SUPERMOON IN SOUTH AFRICA

Although the most spectacular part of this celestial celebration has been and gone, the Super Buck Moon will still be visible in its heightened state on Thursday and Friday. From Johannesburg to Cape Town, stargazers were treated to awe-inspiring sights yesterday evening.

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WHEN IS THE NEXT SUPERMOON COMING FOR SOUTH AFRICA?

With the perigee now in retreat, those who didn’t get to immerse themselves in the experience shouldn’t feel disappointed – because our next Supermoon is only a matter of weeks away. There are three such events in a calendar year, all within two months of each other.

The so-called Sturgeon Moon will be visible in our skies on the evening of Thursday 11 August. In similar fashion to the Super Buck Moon, the rock that orbits our planet will have another close-call, coming within 226 000 miles of Earth next month.

WHY IS IT CALLED A STURGEON MOON?

It’s expected that 21:36 will be the peak time of this luminous display. August’s Full Moon is traditionally called the Sturgeon Moon, because the giant sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain in North America were most readily caught during this part of summer.

We even get a little bonus alongside our next Supermoon – the planet Saturn will appear close to our celestial body, and it will be at its brightest point of the whole year. So for the amateur astronomers amongst us, August brings us double-delight in our stargazing adventures.

By: Tom Head