A rare Blue Moon will be visible over the UK this week, marking the second full moon of the month.
The first, the Flower Moon, rose on May 1, but since there are only about 29.5 days between each full moon, a second full moon will follow in the same month.
It means that the UK will get 13 full moons this year, rather than 12.
Here is when the Blue Moon will be visible, and how best to see it.
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What is a Blue Moon?
Each full moon throughout the year has been named by cultures around the world, with each typically happening in its own month, the Royal Museums Greenwich website explains.
For example, the Wolf Moon is usually the full moon in January, or a Strawberry Moon happens in June.
As explained previously, there are usually 12 full moons each year, taking place about every 29 to 30 days.
However, as the phases of the moon actually take 29.5 days to complete, meaning 354 days total for 12 full cycles, it falls short of the days in a calendar year.
Due to this, sometimes a 13th full moon is seen, which is referred to as a ‘Blue Moon’.
The phrase "once in a Blue Moon" comes from this, as it is a rarer phenomenon, happening every few years.
When will the Blue Moon be visible in the UK?
The Blue Moon will be visible in the UK on Sunday, May 31.
It will also be the smallest moon of the year, being the furthest away from Earth.
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How to see the Blue Moon over the UK
You do not need a DSLR to capture an image of the Moon; this can be done with just a smartphone, a tripod or something to balance your phone steadily while it's pointed at the moon.
If your phone's camera has a 'pro' photography mode, tweak the ISO, white balance and exposure time and see what you can achieve, the Sky at Night Magazine explains.
You can also see it with the naked eye.
Will you be keeping an eye out for the Blue Moon in the UK this week? Let us know in the comments.
