August's Supermoon is the First of Four Lunar Spectacles

A sturgeon moon, the first Supermoon of the year, rises next to the Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore August 19, 2024. REUTERS/Edgar Su
A sturgeon moon, the first Supermoon of the year, rises next to the Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore August 19, 2024. REUTERS/Edgar Su
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August's Supermoon is the First of Four Lunar Spectacles

A sturgeon moon, the first Supermoon of the year, rises next to the Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore August 19, 2024. REUTERS/Edgar Su
A sturgeon moon, the first Supermoon of the year, rises next to the Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore August 19, 2024. REUTERS/Edgar Su

Monday's supermoon is the first of four this year.
During a supermoon, the full moon inches a little closer than usual to Earth. A supermoon isn’t bigger, but it can appear that way in the night sky, although scientists say the difference can be barely perceptible.
September’s supermoon will coincide with a partial lunar eclipse. October’s will be the year’s closest approach, and November’s will round out the year, The Associated Press said.
More a popular term than a scientific one, a supermoon occurs when a full lunar phase syncs up with an especially close swing around Earth. This usually happens only three or four times a year and consecutively, given the moon’s constantly shifting, oval-shaped orbit.



South Korea Braces for Strong Winds and Rain as Tropical Storm Jongdari Nears 

High waves crash ashore as tropical storm Jongdari approaches Jeju Island, South Korea, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. (Park Ji-ho/Yonhap via AP)
High waves crash ashore as tropical storm Jongdari approaches Jeju Island, South Korea, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. (Park Ji-ho/Yonhap via AP)
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South Korea Braces for Strong Winds and Rain as Tropical Storm Jongdari Nears 

High waves crash ashore as tropical storm Jongdari approaches Jeju Island, South Korea, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. (Park Ji-ho/Yonhap via AP)
High waves crash ashore as tropical storm Jongdari approaches Jeju Island, South Korea, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. (Park Ji-ho/Yonhap via AP)

Tropical storm Jongdari moved toward South Korea's coast on Tuesday, prompting officials to shut roads and parks as the country braced for strong winds and rain.

As of 6:30 p.m., Jongdari was 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of the southern island of Jeju and headed north at 33 kph (20 mph) while packing 65 kph (40 mph) winds. It was forecast to weaken around midnight, hours before making landfall near the western city of Seosan.

The storm isn't expected to bring destructive winds as it passes through the densely populated Seoul metropolitan area on Wednesday. Government officials still urged public vigilance, emphasizing securing objects and vessels and monitoring high-risk areas, including underground passageways and basement dwellings.

South Korea’s weather agency forecast the storm would dump around 10 centimeters (3.9 inches) of rain on Jeju and some southern mainland areas. Some central areas could see up to 8 centimeters (3.1 inches) of rain.

The southern cities of Busan and Ulsan received about 5 centimeters (1.9 inches) of rain Tuesday afternoon, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or major property damage.