Blue Moon to Occur on Friday
Everybody’s heard the phrase ‘once in a blue moon,’ but did you know that it’s not just a meaningless, made-up idea? A blue moon is a real celestial event, and you can catch one this Friday.
Don’t be disappointed when the moon doesn’t actually appear to be blue, however. In fact, a ‘blue moon’ (as we currently define it) isn’t really blue at all. While the meaning has changed countless times over the years, the current interpretation is that a blue moon is the second full moon in a calendar month. The first full moon of August occurred on the 2nd, which means that stargazers will be able to catch the second full moon on the 31st.
Fun fact: Although it is extremely rare for the moon to actually appear to be blue, it is possible. A true blue moon (say that three times fast) is caused by smoke or dust particles in the sky making the color of the moon appear to be blue. This is caused by events such as forest fires or volcanic eruptions, so the fact that Friday’s blue moon doesn’t fit the literal definition is probably a good thing.
The next blue moon won’t be until July 2015 – they only happen once in a blue moon, after all.
