People have joys and sorrows, and the moon waxes and wanes.
In 2023, there are 13 full moons. The smallest full moon occurs on February 6, and the largest full moon occurs on August 31.
The full moon times in 2023 are as follows:
January 7, 2023 7:08
February 6, 2023 2:29
March 7, 2023 20:40
April 6, 2023 12:34
May 6, 2023 1:34
June 4, 2023 11:42
July 3, 2023 19:39
August 2, 2023 2:32
August 31, 2023 9:36
September 29, 2023 17:57
October 29, 2023 4:24
November 27, 2023 17:16
December 27, 2023 8:33
Among the 113 full moons, the full moon on February 6 is the smallest full moon, with an apparent diameter of 29.83 arc minutes.
The full moon on August 31st is the most special, it is the "Super Blue Moon".
In August 2023, there will be two full moons, August 2 and August 31. In the astronomical calendar and almanac, when there are two full moon nights in a month, the second full moon is given a poetic name " blue moon ", which means a rare thing. Coincidentally, around the time of the full moon, the moon is exactly at perigee, with an apparent diameter of 32.95 arcminutes. At this time, the moon looks bigger, rounder, and brighter. It is what people call the "super moon." "Super Moon" + "Blue Moon", this turns the full moon on August 31, 2023 into a "Super Blue Moon", which is worth looking forward to.
Why are there two full moons in one month? According to experts from the Science Popularization Department of the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, generally speaking, the interval between two full moons is about 29.5 days (i.e., the "synodic moon " in astronomy), and the number of days per month specified by the solar calendar is 30 or 31 days (except February), which leads to a time difference. Therefore, on average, within 32 months, the second full moon, also known as the "Blue Moon," will appear in a calendar month. Previously, in January 2018 and October 2020, there were two full moons in one month.
In addition to the two full moons in August, September 29, 2023 is the Mid-Autumn Festival. Moreover, the full moon happens to occur at 17:57 shortly after moonrise, which comes at the right time. The Mid-Autumn Moon in 2023 will be round and bright. It is the "fifteenth moon of the fifteenth year" and is worthy of a full moon-viewing festival for the whole family.
text | Modern Express + reporter Chu Xihao Aria Hu Yumei
picture | Modern Express + reporter Gu Wei Zhao Jie
