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Blue Moon 2009: Rare Blue Moon on New Year's Eve

by Frank Liao | December 23, 2009 at 12:19 pm

4590 views | 64 Recommendations | 7 comments

There will be a rare blue moon occurrence during New Year's Eve 2009. It's the first time we have had a blue moon on New Year's Eve since 1990, and the next one won't occur until 2028. Aside from fireworks, the Blue Moon is something else to gaze up at on the stroke of midnight.

For the first time since 1990, revellers will be able to ring in the New Year under the light of a Blue Moon. The next blue moon to occur on New Year’s Eve will not happen until 2028.

What exactly is a blue moon? Does the moon really turn blue? No, the moon does not turn blue. A blue moon is a name given to the second full moon of the month. This rarely happens because full moons come once every 29 days. For a blue moon to occur, the first full moon must come on the first or second day of the month. February is the only month that cannot have a blue moon because it only has 28 or 29 days, depending on whether it's a leap year. The phrase "once in a blue moon" refers to the fact that blue moons are such a rare events.

Does the moon ever appear blue on Earth? Sometimes, if airborne pollution interferes with our atmosphere. In 1883, the volcanic eruption at Krakatoa caused the moon to appear blue around the world for two years. Similar reports of people seeing blue moons occurred after eruptions at Mt. St. Helens in 1980 and Mount Pinatubo in 1991.

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Uwe Paschen

at 18:14 on December 23rd, 2009

I will have to make certain I have my Camera gear with me that night.

marianmo

at 18:15 on December 23rd, 2009

is this when you do something wierd and wonderful because it only happens once in a blue moon.....smiles...wonder what i will do

designer handbag (not verified)

at 18:49 on December 23rd, 2009

wow，it will be very nice

everchanging

at 20:55 on December 23rd, 2009

Yes, this is a rare event and we should enjoy it. A blue moon happens every 2.75 years (I was taught 2.19) in the Gregorian calendar!

The first mention of a blue moon was in 1528 in a pamphlet

The history of the term "blue moon" as we understand in these days and times are very different then the real intended meaning. Original there where 12 moons in a given year and any moon that was over the 12 alloted in a given year was called the blue moon. There is much more to what determines the naming of the blue moon using the four seasons of the year as rule, also!

Source: What is a blue moon? (sky and telescope)

Pam G (not verified)

at 14:01 on January 4th, 2010

Did the blue 'blue moon' appear anywhere else in the world on Dec 31 2009 - or was it due to the pollution over Australia that night?

everchanging

at 14:33 on January 4th, 2010

Pam, was it really a blue moon in Australia on the 31st? That would have been increditable to see, if so then thats a blue moon no matter the cause :-)