A blue or sturgeon supermoon appears above Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
A blue or sturgeon supermoon appears above Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
The supermoon rises over in Dubai. AP
The supermoon rises over in Dubai. AP
The supermoon rises over the flare stacks of an oil field near the southern port city of Basra in Iraq. AFP
The supermoon rises over the flare stacks of an oil field near the southern port city of Basra in Iraq. AFP
A man takes a photo of the supermoon as it rises over the lighthouses at Kalk Bay Harbour in Cape Town, South Africa. Reuters
A man takes a photo of the supermoon as it rises over the lighthouses at Kalk Bay Harbour in Cape Town, South Africa. Reuters
The first supermoon of the year rises next to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore. Reuters
The first supermoon of the year rises next to the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore. Reuters
The supermoon is seen next to the 123-storey Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea. Reuters
The supermoon is seen next to the 123-storey Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea. Reuters
The buildings of the financial district of Lujiazui in Shanghai are illuminated by the rising supermoon. AFP
The buildings of the financial district of Lujiazui in Shanghai are illuminated by the rising supermoon. AFP
The supermoon seen from a residential building in Beijing, China. AP
The supermoon seen from a residential building in Beijing, China. AP
The supermoon over the Zabarwan hills in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, an Indian-administered territory. Reuters
The supermoon over the Zabarwan hills in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, an Indian-administered territory. Reuters
The supermoon shines behind the Rande bridge in Vigo, Spain. EPA
The supermoon shines behind the Rande bridge in Vigo, Spain. EPA

News

UAE

Blue supermoon lights up skies in UAE and around the world

The Moon appears larger and brighter by its closer proximity to Earth during rare event

The National

August 19, 2024

  • English
  • Arabic

A spectacular blue supermoon illuminated skies in the UAE and around the world on Monday evening.

Stargazers were treated to the first of three expected supermoon appearances this week.

The National's Chris Whiteoak photographed the shimmering Moon rising above the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.

The blue – or sturgeon – supermoon is due to be visible until Wednesday, during which time it will appear larger and brighter because of the full moon's closer proximity to Earth.

The Moon, while bigger and brighter, does not typically have a blue hue during the lunar event.

“Speculations on the origin of the term include an old English phrase that means 'betrayer moon' (because it led to mistakes in setting the dates for Lent and Easter),” said Nasa.

The blue supermoon was lit up orange when appearing next to the Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea on Monday. Reuters
The blue supermoon was lit up orange when appearing next to the Lotte World Tower in Seoul, South Korea on Monday. Reuters

However, the US space agency said there are rare circumstances when the Moon may indeed appear blue. “It may be a comparison to rare events such as when dust in the atmosphere makes the Moon actually appear blue.”

This full moon is also called the sturgeon supermoon, named after the sturgeon fish that was traditionally abundant in the Great Lakes, in the east-central US, during this time of year.

The Maine Farmers' Almanac began publishing Native American names for full moons in the 1930s, and these have become widely known and used. Others include red moon, corn or green corn moon, barley moon, herb moon, grain moon and dog moon.

Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha

Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar

Director: Neeraj Pandey

Rating: 2.5/5

RESULTS

1.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,400m
Winner: Dirilis Ertugrul, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Ismail Mohammed (trainer)
2.15pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,400m
Winner: Kidd Malibu, Sandro Paiva, Musabah Al Muhairi
2.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,000m
Winner: Raakezz, Tadhg O’Shea, Nicholas Bachalard
3.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,200m
Winner: Au Couer, Sean Kirrane, Satish Seemar
3.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m
Winner: Rayig, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
4.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,600m
Winner: Chiefdom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,800m
Winner: King’s Shadow, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

Du Plessis plans his retirement

South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said on Friday the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in two years' time will be his last.

Du Plessis, 34, who has led his country in two World T20 campaigns, in 2014 and 2016, is keen to play a third but will then step aside.

"The T20 World Cup in 2020 is something I'm really looking forward to. I think right now that will probably be the last tournament for me," he said in Brisbane ahead of a one-off T20 against Australia on Saturday. 

Kamindu Mendis bio

Full name: Pasqual Handi Kamindu Dilanka Mendis

Born: September 30, 1998

Age: 20 years and 26 days

Nationality: Sri Lankan

Major teams Sri Lanka's Under 19 team

Batting style: Left-hander

Bowling style: Right-arm off-spin and slow left-arm orthodox (that's right!)

Updated: August 19, 2024, 5:44 PM`
UAEAbu Dhabi