Blue Moon

[o1d_dude]

The phrase “once in a blue moon” is rooted in the definition of a blue moon.

The second full moon in a calendar month is called the Blue Moon. This is an uncommon event in most years.

Tonight, Halloween or Samhain ( pronounced “Saa-ween”) as Gaelic speakers call it, we will have the Blue Moon.

Now you know.

 

[MClark]

Halloween Moon through the clouds

 

[tsmith1315]

Clouds are pretty heavy here, but it lightened up enough to spot it and then the clouds broke just long enough to get a clean shot.

 

[PXR5]

I had a boss that used to let us go home early if there was a blue moon.

 

[DaHabes]

The phrase “once in a blue moon” is rooted in the definition of a blue moon.

The second full moon in a calendar month is called the Blue Moon. This is an uncommon event in most years.

Tonight, Halloween or Samhain ( pronounced “Saa-ween”) as Gaelic speakers call it, we will have the Blue Moon.

Now you know.

Actually, that is one of the two definitions of a blue moon. The astronomical definition of a blue moon is the third full moon in a season that has 4 full moons. Since I also do astronomy I learned that definition first. You actually get more months where there are two full moons in a calendar month than by using the astronomical definition. The blue moon this month is not an astronomical blue moon - the last one was May 18, 2019 and the next one is August 21, 2021. Between 2010 and 2021 there are only 5 astronomical blue moons, while there are 9 two-in-one-month blue moons.

 

[dhbarr]

Actually, that is one of the two definitions of a blue moon. The astronomical definition of a blue moon is the third full moon in a season that has 4 full moons. Since I also do astronomy I learned that definition first. You actually get more months where there are two full moons in a calendar month than by using the astronomical definition. The blue moon this month is not an astronomical blue moon - the last one was May 18, 2019 and the next one is August 21, 2021. Between 2010 and 2021 there are only 5 astronomical blue moons, while there are 9 two-in-one-month blue moons.

How often is one both? TIL something new!

 

[o1d_dude]

Managed to capture both the Blue Moon and Mars in the upper right corner.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

Managed to capture both the Blue Moon and Mars in the upper right corner.

View attachment 436886

It looks like below and to the left of the Blue Moon is an even Bluer Moon.

 

[Cape Byron]

When I think of 'Blue Moon' I get an awesome earworm...

 

[JoePfeiffer]

Actually, that is one of the two definitions of a blue moon. The astronomical definition of a blue moon is the third full moon in a season that has 4 full moons. Since I also do astronomy I learned that definition first. You actually get more months where there are two full moons in a calendar month than by using the astronomical definition. The blue moon this month is not an astronomical blue moon - the last one was May 18, 2019 and the next one is August 21, 2021. Between 2010 and 2021 there are only 5 astronomical blue moons, while there are 9 two-in-one-month blue moons.

The two-in-a-month definition comes from a writer for Sky&Telescope misunderstanding the term in 1946. The "third in a season with four" is the original.

 

[o1d_dude]

The two-in-a-month definition comes from a writer for Sky&Telescope misunderstanding the term in 1946. The "third in a season with four" is the original.

I have never heard that.
Thanks!

 

[o1d_dude]

It looks like below and to the left of the Blue Moon is an even Bluer Moon.

I admit to being less than pleased with the the camera system of my iPhone 11 Pro Max when it comes to night sky photos.

 

[jsdemar]

It was too hazy last night to get a good picture, but this was from two nights ago.
Taken from my driveway outside Las Cruces, NM. Zoomed mostly all the way with the 18-300mm.
PENTAX K-S2, ƒ/6.3, 1/320, 280mm, ISO800




Here's the sunset on Halloween, taken from my back yard with my old iPhone 5.

 

[o1d_dude]

I looked into this...

Even more rare than a Blue Moon is the Halloween Full Moon.

Last occurrence was in 2001.

 

[Mugs914]

Almost a complete non sequitur, but I have to take this opportunity to say how much I like Dave Edmunds.

We now return to the discussion of local orbital bodies, already in progress...

 

[gna]

You saw me standing alone

 

[Cape Byron]

Almost a complete non sequitur, but I have to take this opportunity to say how much I like Dave Edmunds.

Maybe we should start a Dave Edmunds thread?

 

[gna]

Bom ba ba bom ba bom ba bom bom
Bom ba ba bom ba bom ba bom bom
Dang a dang dang ding a dong ding

 

[boatgeek]

It was a weird 4-fecta in Seattle last night. Full moon, blue moon, Halloween, nice weather. I can’t tell you how often Halloween is a nasty rainy windy affair. There were a fair number of parties where people were hanging out in their yard or in the street, for the most part spaced out pretty well. People also went all in on decorations this year. The biggest display was a house with a 15-foot giant skeleton plus a horse and rider skeleton plus some more. It was pretty intense and also gone by 1pm today.