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Why is this week's blue Supermoon actually red?

A plane flies across the red Supermoon over London in the United Kingdom. Image source, Reuters
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Wow! We bet the view from that plane was amazing!

Have you spotted anything different about the Moon over the last few days?

If not, turn your eyes to the skies on Monday evening.

Early this week, a blue Supermoon is expected to appear, which occurs when the moon is closest to the Earth.

Not sure what a blue moon is? Read all about those here.

The full moon in August is sometimes referred to as the Sturgeon Moon or Harvest Moon.

Why is this "blue" Moon actually red?

Image source, EPA
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It was a magical sight as the Moon rose behind the Rande Bridge in Vigo, Spain on Sunday evening.

Already, pictures of this month's blue Supermoon show that it might be blue in name, but not in colour.

It is more likely the Moon will appear red or orange in the sky this week due to smoke particles in the atmosphere from wildfires in North America.

When the smoke particles drift up into the Earth's atmosphere, the light reaching the Earth passes through those particles.

This affects what we see through the atmosphere, with red and orange colours appearing more clearly than any others.

And this is particularly noticeable against a bright surface, like the Moon.

Image source, Reuters
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People gathered to see the amazing spectacle on Parliament Hill in Hampstead in London.

Image source, Reuters
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The Supermoon could be seen around the world, like in this shot in Mexico

Don't worry if you missed the Moon on Sunday evening.

The Supermoon is expected to appear large in the skies for the next three nights.

You can find out why all the full moons have names and what they all mean here.