A once-in-a-blue-moon ( ;) ) chance to see a supermoon has come around this week.
For the first time since 2009, a Super Blue Moon will light up our night skies.
It's set to appear tonight and stay for three nights, with Thursday being the last chance to catch a glimpse of Earth's moon in its biggest and brightest form.
The Super Blue Moon happens so rarely as it is a mix of two types of moon - a supermoon and a Blue Moon.
A supermoon is a full moon that occurs when the moon is almost at its closest point to the Earth. It happens quite regularly with three or four appearances per year.
A Blue Moon, meanwhile, is simply just the second full moon in a month.
Therefore, a Super Blue Moon is much more irregular, occurring once roughly every ten years.
There won't be another one until 2037 so grab this opportunity while you can!
According to NASA, there will actually be two of them in just three months that year - something that is a very rare occurrence.
Is a Super Blue Moon actually blue?
Unfortunately, the moon will not actually be blue - but it may appear to have a slight hue to it.
The name "Blue Moon" simply refers to a second full moon in a month and dates back as far as the 16th Century.
The first full moon of this month happened on August 1st.
When there is a supermoon, it appears 14% bigger than when the moon is furthest from our planet.
So, how can I see it?
All you have to do is look up!
It's not meant to be too cloudy over the next few nights, so visibility should be good regardless of where you are based.
If you own a pair of binoculars or a telescope, you will be able to see even more details.
Look out for craters and moon mountains!
If you do happen to have a clear view and a decent camera, Astronomy Ireland is asking that you send your photos (even taken on a phone) to [email protected].
The organisation will be including photos in their next magazine as well as storing them in archives.
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