Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                 2026 May 30
    [2]Two images of Earth's Moon are shown, both in full phase. The left
   moon image, labelled Supermoon, is slightly larger than the right moon
   image, labelled Micromoon. Please see the explanation for more detailed
                                information.

                         Supermoon Versus Micromoon
                    Image Credit: [3]Soumyadeep Mukherjee

   Explanation: What is so micro about tonight's blue micromoon? Just
   after sunset, a [4]full moon will appear [5]slightly smaller and dimmer
   than usual. The reason is that the [6]Moon's fully illuminated phase
   occurs within a short time of [7]apogee - when [8]the Moon is farthest
   from [9]the Earth in its [10]elliptical orbit. In fact, [11]tonight's
   micromoon will be the farthest, smallest, and dimmest Moon this year.
   But tonight's micromoon is notable for yet another reason: it is also a
   [12]blue moon, meaning that it is the second [13]full moon in the same
   month ([14]moon-th). [15]Pictured here, a [16]supermoon -- when the
   full moon appears near its largest -- is compared to a micromoon as
   photographed from [17]Kolkata, [18]India in May and December of 2021.
   Although the next micromoon occurs next month, and the [19]next blue
   moon at the end of 2028, the next blue micromoon will not occur
   [20]until 2053.

                       Tomorrow's picture: eagle stars
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [32]Robert Nemiroff ([33]MTU) & [34]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([35]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [36]Specific rights apply.
            [37]NASA Web Privacy, [38]Accessibility, [39]Notices;
                A service of: [40]ASD at [41]NASA / [42]GSFC,
                         [43]NASA Science Activation
                           & [44]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2605/SuperMicroMoon_Mukherjee_3000.jpg
   3. https://www.instagram.com/soumyadeepmukherjeephotos/
   4. https://science.nasa.gov/moon/moon-phases/
   5. https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https://i.redd.it/8hmjed7ux61a1.jpg
   6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220515.html
   7. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/apogee
   8. https://science.nasa.gov/moon/
   9. https://science.nasa.gov/earth/facts/
  10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliptic_orbit
  11. https://www.universetoday.com/articles/why-the-second-full-moon-of-may-is-a-blue-minimoon
  12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_moon
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240915.html
  14. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/month
  15. https://www.instagram.com/p/CuPPbkXJq4v/
  16. https://science.nasa.gov/moon/supermoons/
  17. https://youtu.be/KML2zqvE_jM
  18. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India
  19. https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/when-is-the-next-blue-moon/
  20. https://www.sciencealert.com/rare-blue-micromoon-wont-return-until-2053-dont-miss-it-this-week
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260529.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  25. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  27. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  30. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260530
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260531.html
  32. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/department/faculty/nemiroff/
  33. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/
  34. https://inspirehep.net/authors/1073087
  35. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  36. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  37. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  40. https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/astrophysics/
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/
  42. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  43. https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/
  44. http://www.mtu.edu/