Super Blue Moon of August 2024: Know All About This Rare Event
Super Blue Moon, a rare astronomical event, occurred on August 19. The much anticipated event was seen in the night sky after almost a year, as the previous Blue Moon was seen on August 30, 2023. But what exactly does that mean? Despite the exciting name, the Moon is not blue, and the change in its size is usually subtle. Understanding the definitions behind these terms can help set the right expectations for this unique event, even if it isn’t as visually spectacular as it might sound.
What Is a Supermoon?
A supermoon happens when the full Moon coincides with its closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit, known as perigee. When the Moon is at or near this closest point, it appears slightly larger and brighter in the sky. However, the size difference is usually subtle, with the Moon appearing up to 14 percent larger at perigee than at its farthest point, apogee. This difference might be hard to notice unless you’re carefully observing the night sky.
What Is a Blue Moon?
A blue moon is either the second full moon in a single month or the third full moon in a season that has four. The August 19 blue moon is of the seasonal variety. Despite its name, the Moon does not appear blue unless specific atmospheric conditions are in place, such as smoke or dust scattering light in a way that makes the Moon take on a bluish hue. This is a rare occurrence and not something to expect during this event.
Do Supermoons And Blue Moons Always Occur Together?
No, they do not. While supermoons happen several times a year, blue moons are less frequent. The combination of a supermoon and a blue moon is rare, with occurrences spaced about ten years apart on average. The next super blue moon won’t occur until 2037, making this a special opportunity for skywatchers.
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Evidence has emerged pointing to a significant role played by an ancient geographic hotspot in shaping the Great Lakes. Researchers have linked the formation of these massive water bodies to a hotspot that interacted with the Earth’s lithosphere millions of years ago. While the lakes are commonly attributed to glacial activity during the Ice Age, recent findings suggest that deeper geological processes may have contributed to their formation, providing insight into their extraordinary depth and size.
Study Highlights Geological Interactions
According to research published in Geophysical Research Letters, a team of scientists from the University of Houston and the University of Arizona investigated the Cape Verde hotspot’s historical activity. Hotspots, known for generating heat and material flow from the Earth’s mantle, are believed to have influenced the Great Lakes region approximately 225 to 300 million years ago. As Pangea, the ancient supercontinent, moved over this hotspot, thinning of the lithosphere occurred, making the ground beneath more susceptible to external forces.
Seismic Clues Support Hotspot Theory
As reported by phys.org, data from seismic wave analyses supported these claims. Unusual horizontal wave movement beneath the lakes indicated lithospheric deformation. This anomaly aligned with the passage of North America over the hotspot during its drift over geological time. These conditions, as reported, would have created a weakened crust, later amplified by glacial activity during the Ice Age.
Hotspot’s Legacy in the Great Lakes Formation
The research outlines how the Cape Verde hotspot likely underlay Lake Superior, Lake Huron, and Lake Erie at different points in history, contributing to the geological features that enabled the Great Lakes to form. The fragile crust allowed ice to carve deeper and larger depressions than would have been possible otherwise, creating the unique landscape seen today.
These findings reshape understanding of the Great Lakes’ origins, suggesting that both deep-Earth processes and surface phenomena played critical roles in their formation.
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