Rare blue supermoon forecast as vivid red skies seen above UK

Smoke from wildfires across the Atlantic has brought spectacular vivid colours to sunsets and sunrises across the UK this weekend.

Fires have blazed across North America this summer, and smoke particles have been carried by the jet stream to the skies above the British Isles.

The unusual hues should continue until Monday, when more unsettled weather will begin to dissipate the smoke in the upper atmosphere.

But skywatchers could also be in for a treat on Monday night, when a rare blue supermoon appears above the UK.

If sunrises and sunsets this weekend appeared a little different, it was because of smoke from wildfires in Canada travelling across the Atlantic on the jet stream, a high altitude current of air responsible for much of the UK’s climate, according to BBC forecaster Grant Burleigh-Harvey.

“It makes the sky look more orange,” he says, as the smoke particles “diffuse the sunlight”.

This can lead to “more vivid” sunsets and sunrises which is what happened over Saturday and Sunday night, he says, and will continue until Monday evening.

There’s a “sepia effect”, Mr Burleigh-Harvey says, referring to red, brown and orange hues which can make for more dramatic views.

He adds that because the smoke is high up, there’s no risk to people’s health and the haze is expected to have moved on by Tuesday morning.

The UK skies will play host to a rare lunar phenomenon on Monday night – a blue super moon.

Monday’s full moon is not just a supermoon. It’s also a blue moon, but those hoping to see a bluish shade to the satellite are out of luck.

A blue moon refers to the third full moon in a season with four full moons, as is the case with this full moon. It can also refer to the second full moon in a month with two full moons.

A supermoon appears brighter and bigger than usual because the moon’s orbit brings it closer to earth.

The last time the UK witnessed a combined super blue moon was last August – but if you miss it, the next one is reportedly not due until 2037.