Image from The Nation Thailand/ANN
BANGKOK (The Nation Thailand/ANN): Two astronomical events are awaiting stargazers in Thailand and South-East Asia on Sunday night and on Wednesday night (Aug 30), the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand has announced.
Saturn will reach its nearest point to Earth for the year on Saturday night, and the moon will follow suit on Wednesday.
The Sun, Earth and Saturn will align on Sunday, bringing Saturn to a mere 1.31 billion kilometres from the Earth, said the institute's director of communications, Suparerk Khaehanon.
If the sky is clear, Saturn will be visible to the naked eye from eastern Thailand from after sunset until dusk on Monday, he said, adding that Saturn's rings and moons can be observed by telescope.
From Wednesday until Thursday morning, the moon will be just 357,334 kilometres from the Earth, creating the second blue moon this month.
The full moon will appear about 7% larger and 15% brigther than usual, Suparerk said.
Peak visibility for the blue moon will be vin the East from shortly after 6pm, Suparerk said.
Members of the public are invited to observe both astronomical events at the institutes four main observatories: the Sirindhorn Astronomical Park in Chiang Mai’s Mae Rim District, and the observatories in Nakhon Ratchasima, Songkhla and Chachoengsao.
Both events will also be live-streamed on the institute's Facebook page. - The Nation Thailand/ANN
