Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — Shining brightly in the skies of Saudi Arabia and the wider Arab region, the rare phenomenon of the “Blue Moon” has been splendidly captured by the lenses of the Saudi Press Agency.

The Jeddah Astronomical Society explained that most months typically feature only one full moon, but during the current month of August, there are two.

According to the general designation, the second full moon is referred to as the “Blue Moon.”

However, this name is more symbolic, as the moon’s color remains the usual gray observed every month.

The “Blue Moon” phenomenon occurs, on average, once every two and a half years when the moon enters the full moon phase within the initial hours of the month.

The giant blue moon rises from the southeast horizon alongside the sunset and sets the stage for tomorrow’s sunrise from the southeast.

Comparatively, the apparent size of the giant blue moon is around 7% larger than the average size of most monthly full moons.

Additionally, its brightness is about 15% more intense. When the moon is high in the sky, there isn’t a reference point that allows us to easily perceive the difference in its apparent size.

The moon will reach its moment of fullness at an angle of 180 degrees from the sun on Thursday at 4:45 a.m. It will complete more than half of its orbit around the Earth during this month.