Blue Moon Occults Antares on May 31 as Rare 2.5-Year Full Moon Rises
Updated
Updated · Space.com · May 29
Blue Moon Occults Antares on May 31 as Rare 2.5-Year Full Moon Rises
7 articles · Updated · Space.com · May 29
Southern Hemisphere skywatchers on May 31 will see the month’s second full moon pass directly in front of Antares, briefly blotting out the red supergiant in an Occultation.
Southwestern Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Argentina and Chile are among the best viewing areas, where the Blue Moon will rise at sunset with Antares close to its lower right before covering it hours later.
North America misses the occultation but gets a close pairing on May 30, with Antares about 3 degrees from the moon and shifting from lower left to above it by sunrise.
A Blue Moon is the second full moon in a calendar month, a timing quirk that occurs roughly once every 2.5 years rather than any actual change in lunar color.
A 'micromoon' will eclipse the giant star Antares. How can you witness this rare cosmic duel happening in our sky?
Ancient cultures feared the Moon hiding Antares. What does this rare celestial omen mean for us this weekend?