Unlike its name suggests, a blue moon is not named after the colour and instead refers to the second full moon in one calendar month.
Most months only have one full moon, so a second is quite a rare event, occurring approximately once every two or three years.
Appearing larger than usual, it was expected to rise at around 8pm (BST) on Thursday to then set at around 6am (BST) the following day, but it shone on Wednesday night.
Astronomer Professor Don Pollacco, from the Department of Physics at the University of Warwick, said: “One of the flukes of nature is that the apparent size of the Moon can be very similar to that of the Sun.
“This occurs because, while the Moon is much smaller than the Sun, it is much closer to the Earth.”
Adding that the Moon has an elliptical orbit around the Earth, he continued: “Now that we understand the Moon’s orbit around the Earth we can talk about super moons.
“These occur when there is a full moon at the time when the Moon is closest to the Earth.
“Consequently, the Moon can look bigger (10-15 per cent) and brighter (25-30 per cent) than a normal full moon.”
Prof Pollacco said: “The moon is so bright that we can see it when it’s not particularly dark or even if the weather isn’t particularly clear.
“It will be visible all night and set in the west around sunrise.”
Dr Greg Brown, astronomer at Royal Observatory Greenwich, said: “August brings the joining of two rare events in astronomy: a blue moon and a supermoon.
“However, both events have somewhat complicated definitions, and none are universally accepted.
“The most common definition of a blue moon is that it is the second full moon in one calendar month.”
He added: “A supermoon, on the other hand, is a full moon that occurs when the moon is in the closest part of its orbit around the Earth, though exactly how close it needs to be to make it ‘super’ is up for debate.
“During this time, the Moon will appear a little bigger and brighter than it normally does, though the difference is hard to spot by eye.”

. The super blue moon rises over Edinburgh. The blue moon refers to the second full moon in one calendar month, which occurs approximately once every two or three years. This one is also supermoon - when the Earth's natural satellite will appear about 14% bigger and 30% brighter in the sky as it reaches its closest point to Earth. Picture date: Wednesday August 30, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story SCIENCE Moon. Photo credit should read: Jane Barlow/PA Wire
The super blue moon rises over Edinburgh. The blue moon refers to the second full moon in one calendar month, which occurs approximately once every two or three years. This one is also supermoon - when the Earth's natural satellite will appear about 14% bigger and 30% brighter in the sky as it reaches its closest point to Earth. Picture date: Wednesday August 30, 2023. PA Photo. Photo: Jane Barlow

. Super blue moon
The super blue moon hidden behind clouds as IFS Cloud Cable Cars pass by at Greenwich. Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire Photo: Yui Mok

. Super blue moon
A plane passes the super blue moon in London. Picture: Victoria Jones/PA Wire Photo: Victoria Jones

1. Super blue moon
The super blue moon hidden behind clouds as IFS Cloud Cable Cars pass by at Greenwich. Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire Photo: Yui Mok

2. Super blue moon
A plane passes the super blue moon in London. Picture: Victoria Jones/PA Wire Photo: Victoria Jones

3. Super blue moon
A picture taken from the Israeli city of Rosh Haain shows the 'Blue Moon' rising over the West Bank. (Photo by Menahem KAHANA / AFP) Photo: MENAHEM KAHANA

4. Super blue moon
The moon rises behind Victoria Tower on Castle Hill, above Huddersfield. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) Photo: OLI SCARFF