Science

Do You Really Know What a Blue Moon Is? Catch the Last One Until 2015 Friday

Blue Moon This Friday Is the Last Until 2015: Occurs on Day of Neil Armstrongs Funeral Service

A blue moon rises over Interstate 80 west of Omaha, Neb., Thursday, Dec. 31, 2009. (Photo: AP/Nati Harnik)

“Once in a blue moon.” It’s an event rare enough that it has become a common phrase invoked to imply the rarity of other situations. And this Friday is the last time you’ll be able to catch the cosmological event until 2015.

As you might already know, a blue moon is not one in which the moon takes on a melancholy hue, but when a full moon occurs more than usual during a certain timeframe. There are two definitions, according to the Farmers’ Almanac, as to when a full moon is considered a blue moon.

Here’s one way to look at it:

One explanation connects it with the word “belewe” from the Old English, meaning, “to betray.” Perhaps, then, the Moon was “belewe” because it betrayed the usual perception of one full Moon per month. However, in the March 1999 issue of Sky & Telescope magazine, author Phillip Hiscock revealed one somewhat confusing origin of this term. It seems that the modern custom of naming the second full Moon of a month “blue,” came from an article published in the March 1946 Sky & Telescope magazine. The article was “Once in a Blue Moon,” written by James Hugh Pruett.

On the other hand though, the Farmers‘ Almanac points out this article was based on information in the Maine Farmers’ Almanac (no relation to the Farmers’ Almanac in general). It states Pruett misinterpreted what the Maine Farmers’ Almanac meant by blue moon, which is really considered when four full moons happened during one seasonal period. Based on this concept, a blue moon is the third full moon of four set to occur during one season of the year — generally only three occur per season.

“So, basically the current use of ‘Blue Moon’ to mean the second full Moon in a month can be traced to a 55-year-old mistake in Sky & Telescope magazine,” the Farmers’ Almanac concludes.

It is this “mistaken” definition though that is widely held today. Based on this definition, the next blue moon to occur after the August 31 event, will be in July 2015.

Blue moons might not even be considered that rare given they occur on average every two and a half to three years. Live Science points out what is actually rare is when there are two blue moons in one calendar year. Also based on the “new” definition of blue moon, the last time two months in the same year each had two full moons was 1999. The next time it will occur is 2018.

Watch this video about blue moons from Live Science:

Overall, the blue moon has little scientific value. Harvard University astronomer Avi Loeb said the moon is far more important to lovers, literature and folklore than to science.

Still, perhaps a fitting nod to Neil Armstrong, the famed astronaut’s private funeral service will be held Friday. Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, died last Saturday in Ohio at age 82.

Armstrong’s family has suggested paying tribute to him by looking at the moon and giving the astronaut a wink.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Comments (39)

  • watashbuddyfriend
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 1:31pm

    Notice, this item was Posted on August 30, 2012 at 11:08am!

    Only 37 posts, so goes to show you what the mentality of most follow?

    Report Post »  
  • Eastinfection
    Posted on August 31, 2012 at 9:08am

    Blue Moons are what Papa Smurf shows everyone after he’s been smurfing too much tequila.

    Report Post » Eastinfection  
  • woodcellar
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 9:38pm

    My wife looked out the window and said it don’t look blue to me. I know it’s tomarrow.

    Report Post »  
  • Carl38
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 5:41pm

    According to the Lunar calander, (that would be the MOON calender), there are 29.5 days in its cycle. The only place that you would find a blue moon is in the Gregorian calender which pays homages to lower deities. Look it up and see for yourselves.

    Report Post »  
  • paperpushermj
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 3:50pm

    Don’t know why there is confusion:
    The Second Full Moon to fall in any single month is called the Blue Moon.
    Lets not make it more then it is.

    Report Post » paperpushermj  
    • thevillager
      Posted on August 30, 2012 at 4:18pm

      Don’t be a stick-in-the-mud. Why can’t we have a little fun with it.

      Report Post »  
  • KENTUCKIANAPATRIOT
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 3:28pm

    There you go!

    Report Post »  
  • Black Manta
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 3:18pm

    Be not dismayed @ the heavens,For the heathen are dismayed @ the heavens…Jeremiah 10:2…

    Report Post » Black Manta  
    • Hezqiyahu
      Posted on August 30, 2012 at 3:53pm

      Just a note. It does not say heathen, but nations. In context, the verse is talking about all of the nations, excluding Israel (Judah, actually).

      Context is everything.

      Report Post »  
    • SiY11
      Posted on August 30, 2012 at 4:28pm

      Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
      Jeremiah 10:2 KJV-

      Report Post »  
    • Hezqiyahu
      Posted on August 30, 2012 at 4:45pm

      כּ‎ה אמר יה-וה, אל-דּרך הגּוים אל-תּלמדו, ומאתות השּׁמים אל-תּחתּו:  כּי-יחתּו הגּוים, מהמּה

      - The Real Bible –

      It’s nations, not heathen, although they are sometimes more than not one and the same. I’m not trying to start an arguement, but I can’t stand it when someone misquotes or mistranslates the bible. I’m sorry to have bothered you.

      Report Post »  
  • blair152
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 2:39pm

    Blue moons only come about once in a blue moon.

    Report Post »  
  • watashbuddyfriend
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 2:21pm

    I did not catch it in the prelude, but a blue moon is when there are Two full moons in the same month!

    Report Post »  
  • wowest
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 1:56pm

    All of this emphasis on blue moons is just ridiculous. I don’t see how anything “Native American” got in here, either. The traditional Jewish calendar is lunar. There are thirteen full moons in the course of a year, on average so there are thirteen months. What is a year? The time it takes for the earth to orbit once around the sun. We see a different set of constellations. However, we adopted the Roman calendar, which, I believe, actually started out with ten months, but wound up with 12. If your year contains 13 full moons in 12 months, obviously one month a year will have two full moons. So what? In our calendar, a month is an arbitrary number of days. It’s artificial. The number of full moons in a year is a real, observable natural phenomenon. The date for the Jewish Passover each year is based upon their lunar calendar, which is why the date for Easter varies when the Christians translate it into their Roman calendar. The signs of the Zodiac represent equatorial constellations associated with the daily sunrise. It’s strange that people concocted twelve of them instead of thirteen. That’s arbitrary, too. It’s all about what you imagine when you look up and connect the dots in your mind.

    Report Post »  
    • Wool-Free Vision
      Posted on August 30, 2012 at 2:32pm

      Your “13 moons per year” statement does not compute. It’s not quite as pat as that. If it were, then why is there no blue moon coming in 2013 or 2014?

      Read the very informative article instead of rushing to the comment box to spout uninformed opinion. Thanks.

      Report Post » Wool-Free Vision  
    • Hezqiyahu
      Posted on August 30, 2012 at 2:51pm

      You are wrong about the Jewish calendar. There are only thirteen months in a year 7 years in a 19 year cycle.

      Also, there cannot be two full moons in a month because it’s the moon that regulates the month on the Jewish calendar. So, according to the incorrect definition of what a blue moon is, it is impossible to have two full moons in one month. There may, however, on occasion, be four full moons in one season.

      Report Post »  
    • gsteele531
      Posted on September 1, 2012 at 12:51pm

      With all due deference to the slam by watashbuddyfriend, you are right about the original number of months in the Roman calendar. The first six were named after Gods & (1) Goddess, from Janus to Juno, as well as the significance of the month to the Romans (Feb and April). The last four, the seventh through the tenth, were just enumerated – septem, octo, novem and decem – which are 7, 8, 9, & 10 in Latin.

      Like today, politicians had to get in and complicate things, so Julius Caesar named July in his honor, and Caesar Augustus, who thought he was just as important as Julius, added August. Thank God that stopped, or we’d be naming days by this point: “I’ll be over for drinks on Obamaday” Yechh!

      Report Post »  
  • Wool-Free Vision
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 1:05pm

    Is it just me, or is there a trend among Hiscock parents who, apparently, like to have fun with the names given to their offspring? In this article, we have author Phillip Hiscock mentioned, but there is also the comedy writer named Norm Hiscock (think about it – pronounce the N as “Inn” and then finish saying it). Maybe not a trend, but you have to admit that it Phil’s like more than a coincidence.

    Report Post » Wool-Free Vision  
    • KENTUCKIANAPATRIOT
      Posted on August 30, 2012 at 4:04pm

      The there you go comment was for HEZQIYAHU (hope that’s sp…?) It’s one of those days. I’m not the only one I see, WOOL-FREE VISION, that sees what SOMEONE else didn’t see–but maybe should have…?!? The Blaze has it’s share of Leno-esk “headlines” & photos too.

      Report Post »  
  • TEARS FOR AMERICA
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 1:02pm

    Neil Armstrong, rest in dear peace with your Savior and Lord.

    Report Post » TEARS FOR AMERICA  
  • wisehiney
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 12:01pm

    Is that the kind of moon you see when you are a broke atheist who can’t get anyone to come to your party?

    Report Post »  
    • getitgotitgood
      Posted on August 30, 2012 at 12:47pm

      I read this article 2 times, guess it shows I attended california public school i have no idea what is meant by blue moon. sorry guess i am just stupid. I did not grasp what the person who wrote this article was saying. I would really like to know what a blue moon really is and why it is. I think once I get the complete understanding I personally could explaine it better even as stupid as i am.

      Report Post » getitgotitgood  
    • Noah_fing-whey
      Posted on August 30, 2012 at 12:58pm

      GetitGotitGood – just call it a meteorological anomaly. The big words will cause libs to swoon and do things not in their best interest.

      Report Post »  
    • Wool-Free Vision
      Posted on August 30, 2012 at 1:08pm

      Quoted from the article:

      “A blue moon is the third full moon of four set to occur during one season of the year — generally only three occur per season.”

      Report Post » Wool-Free Vision  
  • pap pap
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 11:49am

    Very appropriate for Neil’s service to be held on a Blue Moon.

    Report Post »  
  • paperpushermj
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 11:44am

    Two full Moons in one Month

    Report Post » paperpushermj  
  • MetalPatriot
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 11:42am

    Good article, Liz.

    Report Post » MetalPatriot  
  • MrButcher
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 11:28am

    The American Indians called it a Wolf Moon.

    I always liked that better.

    Report Post » MrButcher  
  • momrules
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 11:24am

    I saw a blue moon many years ago. A lovely sight. I’ll be winking at the next full moon Neil, rest well.

    Report Post »  
  • watersRpeople
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 11:24am

    I just know once in a blue moon, I do something right.

    Report Post »  
  • EqualJustice
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 11:24am

    It’s beautiful and it causes lots of flooding in Charleston, SC, I know that! :)

    Report Post » EqualJustice  
  • Sumrknght
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 11:22am

    Now that is a tribute truly worthy of Neil Armstrong… two full moons in the month of his passing.
    God is giving you His own ‘wink’ Neil.

    Report Post »  
  • MODEL82A1
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 11:20am

    I spent the last Blue Moon (Dec. 31, 2009) aboard the motor yacht “Twice in a Blue Moon” docked at a big New Year’s Party here in FL. How’s THAT for coincidence?

    Report Post » MODEL82A1  
  • trolltrainer
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 11:18am

    A blue moon is when the smurfs can jump back through the portal to get home…Duh…

    Report Post »  
    • biohazard23
      Posted on August 30, 2012 at 11:23am

      I thought everybody knew that. :) “Clumsy!!”

      Report Post » biohazard23  
    • EqualJustice
      Posted on August 30, 2012 at 11:24am

      HAHAHA That is a cute movie. :)

      Report Post » EqualJustice  
    • JACKTHETOAD
      Posted on August 30, 2012 at 11:39am

      Werewolf sings the blues. Was that London or Harlem? Both of them gone well before their time. (You guys are showin’ Neil the ropes, I hope.) …owooooo… :)

      Report Post » JACKTHETOAD  
  • Cabo King
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 11:17am

    R.I.P. Neil a true American hero!!!!!!!!!!!

    Report Post » Cabo King  

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