The coming August will play host to a double feature of celestial spectacle known as the "Supermoon", according to Guangzhou Wuyang Planetarium.

As per the predictions of the Wuyang Planetarium, the first "Supermoon" of August is set to grace the night sky on August 1st, reaching its peak in the wee hours of August 2nd. Citizens will be able to witness the most spherically perfect Supermoon across the sky above the Canton Tower from Huacheng Square, with the event culminating around 00:34 hours.

On August 30th, the moon will make its second closest approach to Earth for the month at precisely 23:54 hours. However, the moment of the moon's fullest roundness, which will occur on August 31st at 09:36 hours, will be missed by observers across China as the moon would have already set in the west. Nevertheless, the occurrence of two supermoons within the span of a single month is indeed a valuable chance.

The term "Supermoon" has become colloquially synonymous with an especially large and round moon. From an astronomical standpoint, however, the term "Full Moon at Perigee" is more scientifically precise.

The question arises: Why would a single month witness two instances of a Supermoon? The answer lies in the two critical factors that influence the occurrence of a Supermoon: proximity and roundness. The Supermoon at the beginning of August will first reach its fullest roundness and then move closest to Earth, while the end-of-the-month Supermoon will first move closest to Earth, followed by achieving its fullest roundness.

8月将上演两次“超级月亮”

据广州市五羊天象馆消息，在8月份将有两次“超级月亮”上演。

根据五羊天象馆预计，8月第一次“超级月亮”发生的时间将是8月1日夜间至8月2日凌晨，市民可在花城广场看到“最圆的”超级月亮掠过广州塔上空的景象，时间在0时34分前后。

8月30日23时54分，月亮将再次运行至近地点。但该次“超级月亮”的最圆时刻为8月31日9时36分，该时段月亮早已西落，中国各地均无法看到。不过一个月能够出现两次超级月亮，实属难得。

所谓“超级月亮”就是又大又圆的月亮。从天文学的角度来说，“超级月亮”叫作“近地点”满月更为准确。

为何一个月会出现两次“超级月亮”？是因为超级月亮的出现取决于两个关键因素：一是离得近，二是足够圆。8月初的超级月亮，是先月亮最圆，后月亮与地球相距最近；8月底的超级月亮，是先月亮最近地球，再到月亮最圆。

文 | 羊城晚报全媒体记者 梁怿韬 通讯员 李建基
译 | 陈萱