Goa ALERT: Blue super moon on Aug 30-31 can affect tides, flood beaches

PANAJI: According to astronomers and earth scientists, on the night of August 30, 2023, the biggest and brightest full moon of the year – the “blue super moon” – will make its glorious appearance in the night sky.

The term “blue super moon” is not just a poetic label or a term found in fictional literature; it captures a rare convergence of three distinct lunar phenomena.

As explained by Gordon Johnston from NASA’s Solar System Exploration, the upcoming full moon is a merger of a supermoon and a blue moon that is in alignment with the Hindu festival Rakhi Purnima or Raksha Bandhan.

As far as Goa is concerned, the Blue Super moon or Super moon which is also a Blue Moon, will largely affect tides and a super high tide or higher-than-usual tide is very likely that could flood most beaches in Goa, with water entering the beach shacks if any.

A similar phenomenon was witnessed a few years ago, when several shacks on the beaches were severally affected by the rising waters – in some places the sea water level rose more than two meters above normal (normal high tide).

Saturn will dance with the super moon

On August 30th, as the Earth-based longitude shows the moon in perfect opposition to the Sun, it will light up the night at 9:36 PM EDT.

The ringed planet Saturn, a few days from its brightest stance for the year, will gracefully accompany our rare blue super moon, astronomers predicted.

Observers can look for Saturn five degrees to the upper right of the Moon as evening twilight ceases. The duo will then appear to dance, with Saturn swinging clockwise around the Moon throughout the evening, according to NASA.

What makes it super?

But why is this moon termed “super”? The super moon phenomenon refers to the moon’s closeness to Earth during its full phase, making it appear more substantial and brighter.

Various publications have different criteria for designating a moon as “super,” but both of August 2023’s full moons meet these requirements.

Second full moon of the month

Diving into the “blue” of the blue super moon, it’s not about the color. Instead, it references this being the second full moon for the month of August.

This terminology can be traced back to a 1946 Sky & Telescope magazine definition. Intriguingly, the more aged definition from the 1500s designated the third full moon of a four-moon season as the Blue Moon. By that criteria, the blue status would belong to the full moon of August 2024.