Blue Moon? Well maybe not.

[Macavity]

Officially from Sky and Telescope.

"Once upon two blue moons" before 2009 ends

I wasn't familiar with the meaning. Now I am... I guess?

[skye at night]

ahem!

I always knew I was ahead of NASA!

Steve

http://stargazerslounge.com/astro-lounge/90421-once-blue-moon.html

[skye at night]

Actually..

going further..

Not only is it a blue moon..

It is a blue moon on New Years Eve...

Not only is it a blue moon on New Years Eve...

It is A Partial Eclipse of a Blue Moon on New Years Eve!!!

Wait for the apocalypse theory doom-mongers to hit the media..

Steve

[brianb]

"In modern usage, the second full Moon in a month has come to be called a 'Blue Moon', but it's not!" said Kelly Beatty, Senior Contributing Editor for SKY and TELESCOPE magazine.

"This colorful term is actually a calendrical goof that worked its way into the pages of SKY and TELESCOPE back in March 1946, and it spread to the world from there," she added.

'Nuff sed?

[skye at night]

I think anyone who actually thought the moon would appear blue would need their bumps felt..

As for the term 'blue moon' meaning a second full moon in a calendar month..

Irrespective of origin...The very fact that the term is used in that 'sense' makes it relevant and appropriate.. it is how words, terms and language come into use and meaning... "modern usage"

'Raining Cats and Dogs' etc.. (going to need a mighty strong umbrella!)

Steve

[brianb]

I think anyone who actually thought the moon would appear blue would need their bumps felt..

But it can ... when the Moon is low in a sky with unusually intense red/orange colouration due to volcanic ash in the stratosphere ... nothing to do with the Moon's phase or how many full moons there are in the month. Volunteers to feel my bumps, or do you want to send round the little yellow van?

What's the "popular name" for a month with no Full Moons ... this can happen (only in February) but is much less common than a month with two Full Moons.

[Macavity]

Looks that way. Hardly authorative but:

Kentucky's State Bluegrass Song: "Blue Moon of Kentucky" - Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives

Look beyond the Kentucky (fried) stuff?

I can certainly believe the TERM had origins... way back. The "Blue Moon" Jazz Standard dates from the '30s I see. Not quite sure what Sky & Telescope were claiming. Hopefully not song writing royalties?

[skye at night]

Yes Brian.. it can be blue...but that can happen in any month!

When i lived in Leeds for a while I remember a lovely summer evening with a full moon so red it looked like it was bleeding! Turned out the local secondary school which was in my line of sight was on fire...

"What's the "popular name" for a month with no Full Moons?"

Astro-Imagers' Moon?

Steve

[TheThing]

Astro-Imagers' Moon?

Steve

I like that one!

After Krakatoa erupted in the 1800's blue moons caused by volcanic dust in the atmosphere where a common occurance across the world and, particularly, Europe.

I prefer the definition of two full moons in a month though.

[AztecastroMcJ]

interesting that Blue Moon New Years Eve Partial Eclipse aswell

can't happen that often

hope to get look later on

Great way to end 2009 and hope 2010 b just as gud

Happy Blue Moon Hogmanay Partial Eclipse every1 !

James

[LukeSkywatcher]

The last lunar eclipse on 31st Dec was over 350 yrs ago.

[Jim M]

Officially from Sky and Telescope.

"Once upon two blue moons" before 2009 ends

I wasn't familiar with the meaning. Now I am... I guess?

I read the other day that this full Moon is not strictly a blue moon. The original blue moon was defined in the falmers almanac as that full moon which is the third full moon in a series of four full moons in any given season. The presently declared full Moon does not fulfil that criteria.

The new years eve (2009) declared blue Moon is based on an inaccurate

definition where a blue Moon is the second full Moon in a series of two that occur in any one month.

[MishMich]

We walked the dog on the beach not long ago - and with the thin cloud allowing view of the moon, and dispersing the light over the sea, while moon was not blue, the light from it certainly was. Nothing to do with it being a 'blue moon', but very pretty.

M.

[George]

Did you know and a lot of people don't, that a full moon always coincides with blumming clear nights in the UK

[MishMich]

Not here it didn't. A break in the cloud. So, I got all set up to start imaging Mars with a new (second-hand) Meade 5" f9.3 refractor... and the cloud rolled over as soon as I started. The moon was so bright, I turned the Meade onto it - at least I was able to fire off a test video through the cloud. Not sure how it will turn out, but with a moon filter, moon+skyglow+IR-cut, Fringe killer, cloud drifting in front of the moon, and levels turned right down, it was still a well-exposed image.

M.