A rare supermoon-blue moon combo will occur on August 19, 2024, peaking at 2:26 p.m. ET, offering sky-watchers a unique celestial event.

A blue moon happens when two full moons appear in a month or the third moon in a season with four full moons.

August’s Sturgeon Moon is named after the abundance of sturgeon fish traditionally caught during this time, as recognized by indigenous tribes.

Supermoons appear larger and brighter because the moon is closer to Earth during its orbit, making it up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than typical full moons.

Supermoons are visible with the naked eye shortly after sunset and can be enjoyed throughout the night, without the need for special viewing equipment.

Supermoons cause higher-than-normal tides due to their closer proximity to Earth, a phenomenon called "perigean tides."

Blue moons, a rare event, happen in only about 3% of full moons, either when two full moons occur in a month or as the third in a four-moon season.

The blue moon term dates back to 1528, though the moon doesn’t actually appear blue unless there's a lunar eclipse changing its color.

Keep an eye out for other celestial events like planetary alignments and potential nova bursts in the Milky Way constellation.

After August, three more supermoons will rise in September, October, and November 2024, with October’s supermoon being the closest to Earth this year.