It's once-in-a-blue moon when an actual blue moon will rise in the sky, which it will Wednesday evening..A cosmic confluence of events will impact the full moon and if you step outside after the sunset in Alberta this evening you’ll notice a full moon that appears to be blue..According to NASA the term 'blue moon' has nothing to do with its colour, so don't expect it to appear blue when you go out to look on Wednesday night. ."The moon only actually appears blue when small air particles like smoke or dust scatter away red wavelengths of light," says NASA..A 'blue moon' occurs when there are two full moons in a single month and the earth's lunar sidekick will seem extra big and bright as it reaches its fullest stage on Wednesday, the second full moon in August.."The next full moon will be Wednesday night, appearing opposite the sun (in Earth-based longitude) at 7:36 PM MDT," NASA said.."The planet Saturn, just a few days from its closest and brightest for the year, will appear near the moon. As evening twilight ends (at 6:42 PM) Saturn will be five degrees to the upper right of the moon, and will appear to swing clockwise around the moon as the evening progresses.".According to NASA, the moon's typical orbit ranges between 226,000 and 251,000 miles from Earth, but variances can bring it a bit closer or farther away..Only the closest three or four approaches each year qualify as supermoons..The proximity means the moon appears about 14% larger than it does when it is farthest from Earth..NASA reports that about a quarter of full moons qualify as “supermoons,” but only 3% of full moons are blue moons..Earthlings won't see this particular lunar event again until 2037.
