Today, Monday, is as good a time as any to put away your mobile smart telephone, or whatever gadget that disconnects you from your surroundings, and look heavenward instead, for a rare natural phenomenon.
At certain times, in its orbit around the earth, the moon comes closest to earth. It is commonly known as a supermoon. Because the moon’s monthly orbit is elliptical rather than circular, there is a point where it is farthest from the earth, or its apogee, and one where it is nearest, perigee.
The supermoon, or more scientifically, perigee syzygy (of the Earth-Moon-sun system) will appear from around 23,000km from the earth, compared to its normal 384,000km.
Today’s is a “blue supermoon”, which is rare. Anyone with a basic telescope, or a pair of decent binoculars, should also be able to see the planet Saturn’s rings.
The so called blue moon appears every two to three years, when there are two full moons in a calendar month, or four full moons in a season.
Do not however, be too disappointed, if the main colour is not blue. In fact, the moon is more likely to appear reddish or yellow, due to light refraction over the horizon.
But the description of the moon as blue, is not entirely fanciful, the plays of light in the atmosphere, can give the moon a blue appearance, but this is rare, hence the term, “once a blue moon.”
The best time to look up and stare will depend on where in the world you happen to be, and of course, weather conditions.
Rwandans, still in the midst of a cloudless dry season, should be assured one of the best views. Just find a good vantage point at dusk, on one of the thousand hills, and keep an eye on the horizon.
And if you find yourself dragged away from the heavenly spectacle, to answer the quotidian demands of modern life, perhaps the poem, Leisure, by William Henry Davies, will persuade you to take a moment to commune with the moon. After all, it will have travelled a long way to come closer to you, or your world at least.
And should Monday be cloudy, fear not, you have at least Wednesday, before the moon rises higher once again.
Leisure by William Henry Davies:
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in the grass.
No time to see, in the broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.
No time to wait till her mouth can erich that smile her eyes began.
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
