Rare super blue moon what is it, how to see it in the UK and why you won't see one again for 10 years

We've already had a full moon this month, and this week will serve up a special treat - a second full moon.

Known as a blue moon, this one - visible in the skies over Merseyside on August 30 and August 31 - is extra special, as it's a 'super' moon. It's 'super' because the moon is closer to the Earth at the moment, so it will appear much bigger and brighter than usual.

You'll have to stay up late to see the full spectacle though, as the Royal Observatory, Greenwich says the full moon will reach its peak at 2.35am in the UK on Thursday, August 31 - so the early hours of Wednesday, August 30 will be your best bet to see it - cloud cover permitting.

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What is a Super moon?

As the moon orbits the Earth it moves nearer and further away from the planet, sometimes being 30,000 miles closer to us at its closest passing - or perigee, as it's known. A super moon occurs when the moon is at its closest perigee, which it will be on August 30/31.

We've been lucky enough to have four consecutive super moons in the UK this year, with this being the final one to grace our skies until August 2032.

In November 2018 the UK saw its largest super moon since 1948. According to NASA, that month the moon reached its fullest point within about two hours of its perigee, appearing almost 14% bigger and 30% brighter in the sky as a result. There won’t be a full moon that close to Earth again until 25 November 2034.

Why is it called a blue moon?

A full moon appears in the sky every 29.53 days, which means a lunar year of 12 cycles lasts just over 354 days. That means the lunar year can therefore come in almost 11 days shorter than the time it takes the Earth to orbit the sun. This