A large crowd in Chile gathered last Saturday night to observe the rare astronomical event called the "Blue Micromoon," which refers to the full moon farthest from Earth in the year.
Astronomers stated that during this event, the moon was about 406,135 kilometers away from Earth, farther than a typical full moon. This is because the moon's orbit is not a perfect circle, unlike the "Supermoon" phenomenon when the moon approaches Earth more closely, appearing larger and brighter than usual.
Felipe Serda, a science communicator from Astro Maipo, said that this event combined full moon viewing, nature hikes in parks, and astronomy education to offer people a chance to experience the beauty of Chile’s night sky.
Additionally, sky observers in several Southern Hemisphere locations—such as Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, eastern Australia, and parts of Antarctica—had the opportunity to witness the star Antares temporarily disappearing as the Blue Micromoon passed in front of this famous star.
Giovanni Pais, one of the event participants, said that what attracted him to join was the chance to engage in new activities including nighttime trail exploration, stargazing, and learning about the history of the Maipo Canyon region.
However, despite the name "Blue Moon," the moon does not appear blue. The term "Blue Moon" is an astronomical term referring to the rare occurrence of two full moons within a single month.
. Source:AP
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