SAN DIEGO — The cosmos offers a double feature in August: a pair of supermoons culminating in a rare blue moon.
Catch the first show Tuesday evening as the full moon rises in the southeast, appearing slightly brighter and bigger than usual. That's because it will be closer than usual, just 222,159 miles (357,530 kilometers) away, thus the supermoon label.
The moon will be even closer the night of Aug. 30 — a scant 222,043 miles (357,344 kilometers) distant. Because it's the second full moon in the same month, it will be a blue moon.
"Warm summer nights are the ideal time to watch the full moon rise in the eastern sky within minutes of sunset. And it happens twice in August," said retired NASA astrophysicist Fred Espenak, dubbing Mr. Eclipse for his expertise in eclipse-chasing.
The last time two full supermoons graced the sky in the same month was in 2018. It won't happen again until 2037, according to Italian astronomer Gianluca Masi, founder of the Virtual Telescope Project.
This year's first supermoon was in July. The fourth and last will be in September. The two in August will be closer than either of those.
Where to watch in San Diego
Looking for a spot to view one of two rare supermoons from San Diego? CBS 8 curated a list of some of the best local viewing options:
PHOTOS | Views of the Supermoon across San Diego
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