After a big full moon at the start of August, the earth’s satellite shows itself again in all its glory on Thursday night. As at the beginning of the month, the full moon is particularly close to the earth, making it look a little larger than usual.
According to the Association of Star Friends, the moon will be closest to Earth in its orbit at 3:36 a.m. on Thursday morning. For us humans, the moon generally appears particularly large shortly after rising and shortly before setting.
The spectacle, which occurs twice in August, is possible because the cycle between two full moons is 29.5 days, but August has 31 days. Two full moons in a calendar month are rare, the second of which is called a “Blue Moon” in the USA – the next time there will not be until May 31, 2026.
Less distance
On the two August full moons, the distance between the earth and its satellite is a good 357,000 kilometers. For comparison: The average distance of the moon in its orbit is a good 380,000 kilometers.
But not everywhere in Germany, according to the German Weather Service (DWD), onlookers will be able to take a look at the moon. Not directly on the coasts, but from the north inland there could be loosening of the clouds on Thursday night. There are opportunities in Lower Saxony, Brandenburg or Saxony-Anhalt, said a meteorologist. However, there are still different weather models.
