Must see: Supermoon rises in California as silhouette of aircraft seen battling raging wildfire
A Blue Moon is not related to the Moon's color – it occurs when there are two full Moons in a single month. When the Moon is at or near its closest point to Earth at the same time it is full, it's called a "Supermoon."
Images of crews battling California wildfire captured in front of supermoon
Cheré Tamura, wildlife videographer, shared the story behind her stunning images of the supermoon and fire crews. Aug. 21, 2024.
SAN JOSE, Calif. – A stunning sight unfolded in San Jose, California, as a Blue Supermoon rose over the city while a helicopter dropped retardant on a nearby wildfire.
Chere Tamura, who had stepped outside Monday evening to capture the Moon's beauty, found herself witnessing the extraordinary scene of the Quimby Fire raging in the nearby hills.
"I was surprised to see the Moon rise through the flames and shocked when I captured a helicopter dropping retardant on the fire in the shadow of the Moon," she said as she recorded the dramatic sight.
Chere Tamura said that she went outside to record the Moon, only to discover that the Quimby Fire was raging in the nearby hills.
(Chere Tamura via Storyful)
Firefighters are battling three separate fires over a total of 33 acres, according to the CAL FIRE Santa Clara Unit as of Monday evening. The fire is 5% contained. Forward progress has stopped with help from the San Jose Fire Department. Access and terrain are making containment difficult as Evacuation Warnings remain in place.
Supermoon rises over Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco skyline
Footage filmed by Shreenivasan Manievannan caught the super Blue Moon in all its glory, shining in an orange haze as it rose over the San Francisco Bay.
The Supermoon was also filmed ascending over the Golden Gate Bridge by Shreenivasan Manievannan, illuminating the San Francisco skyline with an orange haze. Manievannan said he filmed the footage from Marin Headlands, managing to get the shot after clouds and fog cleared.
The Moon looked 14% larger during Monday's Supermoon and illuminated Earth with 30% more light than the dimmest full Moon when it's farthest away in its orbit, according to NASA.
According to NASA, a seasonal Blue Moon occurs when there are four full Moons instead of the usual three in a single season. The third Moon of the season is a Blue Moon.
Monday's full Moon was the third of the summer, with the first two happening on June 21 and July 21.
The time between Blue Supermoons is quite irregular. It can range from as little as 10 years to as much as 20 years. The next pair of Blue Supermoons is expected to occur in January and March of 2037.