What is a super blue moon? It is a combination of a supermoon and a blue moon to form a super blue moon.
No, the moon was not exceptionally blue at that time. The word "Blue Moon" refers to either two full moons happening in the same calendar month (as in this case) or the third full moon in a season with four full moons. A supermoon, on the other hand, is a full moon that happens when the moon's orbit brings it closer to Earth, resulting in a significantly bigger moon.
Supermoons occur because the moon's orbit around Earth is not entirely round but rather oval or elliptical. As a result, the moon's orbit has moments when it is farther away—at maximum distance—and times when it is closer—or farthest from the Earth.
If you don't know about the super blue moon, you might not notice this 14% increase in closeness, even though it is theoretically larger and brighter in the night sky.
Super blue moon coincidences are uncommon, according to NASA, which estimates that they occur once per decade on average. Although two super blue moons might occur again in the same month, it can take up to two decades between super blue moons.
The next supermoon will take place on September 18, 2024, according to Sky News. This will be the first of two supermoons next year, with the second occurring a month later on October 17, 2024.