It may be hard for many to believe that August is nearing its end, meaning autumn is right around the corner. But luckily this year, the end of the summer will be marked by a rather impressive astronomical phenomenon: on the night of August 30, the skies above the Netherlands will be lit up by a super blue moon.

Stargazing highlights of summer 2023

Summer 2023 may not have blessed the Netherlands with particularly great weather, but there have been a couple of meteor showers and supermoons for the stargazers among us to enjoy. As summer turns to autumn and the kids return to school after the holidays, the season has one last treat in store for the avid astronomers out there. 

After this month kicked off with a supermoon on the night of August 1, next week will bring the second supermoon of the month. 

Visibility of supermoon and Saturn depends on Dutch weather

While a supermoon already only occurs when the moon is at its closest point to Earth at the same time that it is at its fullest, if there are two full moons in a single calendar month, the second is referred to as a blue moon, or in this case a super blue moon. This only happens every two to three years. 

In addition to a super blue moon, the planet Saturn will also be visible in the skies above the Netherlands at the end of August. On the night of August 27, Saturn will be aligned with the sun and the earth, meaning it will be visible with the naked eye - although to get a good look you will need to use a telescope. 

Of course, how much of these spectacles you’ll be able to see depends entirely on what the weather decides to do; currently, forecasts are expecting a combination of sunshine, clouds and rain on August 30, so anything is possible! To maximise your chances of seeing this meteorological show, be sure to head out of the city to an area with little to no artificial light (such as a national park).

Thumb: Dutchmen Photography via Shutterstock.com.