Blue Moon Illuminates the Night Sky

 

September 1, 2021

Although "once in a blue moon" is an idiom that refers to something extremely rare in occurrence, that poetic phrase doesn't really make scientific sense. After all, blue moons are not so rare. The full moon that rose on August 22, brought sky watchers a seasonal illumination that occurs about once every two to three years.

However, the devil may be in the details since the term "blue moon" actually has two definitions, according to NASA. In the first, the second full moon that occurs within a calendar month (because each month typically only has one full moon) is called a blue moon. In the second, the third full moon to rise within a calendar season that has four full moons (as opposed to the usual three) gets dubbed a blue moon. Typically, each calendar season consists of three months and therefore, three full moons. Because this summer began on June 20 and ends September 22, we had four moons in one season, making August's full moon a seasonal blue moon

Sunday night's blue moon might further be considered a semi-rare occurrence because the moon's glow was uniquely long and bright. Although it reached peak illumination on Sunday, August 22 at 8:02 a.m. EDT, it rose with an almost equal glow each evening from Friday, August 20 to Sunday, August 22, making it a full moon weekend-giving moon gazers extra time to marvel at its enchanting sparkle when the rain clouds weren't obstructing visibility.

Still, neither type of blue moon is actually blue in color. "Most blue moons look pale gray and white, indistinguishable from any other moon you've ever seen," according to NASA. "Squeezing an additional full moon into a calendar month or into a season doesn't change the physical properties of the moon itself, so the color remains the same."

Here come the devilish details. Dust in the air acts as a light filter, so forest fires, dust storms, or volcanic eruptions can cause the moon to appear blue. Such events, NASA concedes, may give accuracy to the term "blue moon."

Additionally, the name of the August full moon differs across cultures. The Salish people refer to the August moon as "huckleberry's moon," while the Assiniboine people call it "chokecherries are black," and the Cree people give August's moon the name "opunhopizun-moon when young ducks begin to fly."

In the music arena, "Blue Moon" has a colorful history, as well. Written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart in 1934, "Blue Moon" became an international number-one hit for the doo-wop group The Marcels, on the Billboard 100 Chart. Over the years, "Blue Moon" has been covered by various artists, including versions by Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, and Elvis Presley. Perhaps, more readers will remember the version of the song from the film industry. The American country music group The Mavericks covered the song for the soundtrack of the 1995 film Apollo 13. Raul Malo sings a hypnotic and dreamy version of this classic.

If readers missed this blue moon, no need to worry. There are more to come-though they'll be different, of course.

 
 

Powered by ROAR Online Publication Software from Lions Light Corporation
© Copyright 2024