People often describe things that rarely happen as "once in a Blue Moon," and the July 31 lunar event provides proof that a Blue Moon is something that does not occur often.
Contrary to the name, Blue Moons are not really blue but they are considered to happen any time that there are appearances of two full moons in a calendar month.
Blue Moon is considered a rare event. Most years only have 12 full moons but this year has 13 and the next Blue Moon is not expected to happen until 2018.
Blue Moons are not typically blue but scientists said that the moon having a bluish hue can happen. A latest volcanic eruption or forest fire, for instance, could pump sufficient amounts of ash or smoke into the atmosphere and could possibly result in the moon taking a bluish hue.
The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines on June 1991 created Blue Moons from a variety of perspectives around the globe.
The Blue Moon is currently the rave of the Internet because it is happening in the last night of July but there are other lunar events that can be as interesting as well.
The supermoon, also known as the Perigee Moon and Super New Moon, occurs where there is a New Moon or a Full Moon as the lunar disk makes its closest approach to our planet for the month. The moon appears bigger than usual during a supermoon.
Black Moon, on the other hand, has several definitions. It may refer to one of the new or dark moons in an astronomical season having four New Moons. It can also be the second New Moon on the same month.
The term could also refer to a calendar month without a New Moon, which can only occur in February. When this happens January and March will have two New Moons instead of having the usual one New Moon. A calendar month without a full moon may also be referred to as Black Moon. The phenomenon by this definition is expected to happen in February 2018.
The term is not actually well-known in the field of world of astronomy but it was made popular in recent years by astrologers and those who follow the Wicca religion. Some believe that certain actions become more potent when they are done on the night of a Black Moon.
Photo: Pixelgrey | Flickr
