The blue moon is a rare phenomenon that happens once in three years. Once in three years, we are privileged to see two full moons in a single month, a pretty rare occurrence and a very special one.
Although the name refers to a particular color, it is unlikely for us to see an actual blue moon over the night sky. Seeing a blue colored moon is possible when air compounds such as pollutants and ash enter the earth’s atmosphere.
If you happen to be near a volcanic area, you may be the lucky observer of an actual blue moon over the vast skies of exotic lands. The phenomenon will happen on July 31 and will most probably be associated with other celestial events that will affect or boost our moods. A full moon always comes with surprises, according to astronomers who have made a life goal from observing all that is happening over the top of our roofless heads.
The two full moons appearing in a single month are related to the timing of the lunar cycle with the Gregorian calendar, which is the most widespread time measurement feature in the world. Usually, the moon orbits our planet every 29, 5 days, which means less than our usual calendar month. The days add up outside our calendar but time is still measured by the invisible forces of the sky. As the remaining days outside our calendar invisibly unfold, the universe has its way of notifying us of that by letting the moon appear twice in a month every three years.
The last blue moon event happened on August 30, 2012, even though large parts of the world failed to see it that day. For some of us, the event happened one day later, on September 1st. This year the pace of events will unfold at a different time and rhythm, as the universe will serve us a blue moon at the end of July.
Observing the moon in shades of actual blue is extremely rare, but highly possible. The natural color of the lunar surface is a mélange of gray and white, as we can all see in various photos sent by NASA. When we have the privilege to see a moon of a different color, this is thanks to events happening on Earth and not in space. Our atmosphere is covered by a large variety of compounds which mix and match and can result in fascinating shades covering the surface of the sky or celestial bodies, like the blue moon case. In support of the theory, the phytoplankton is known to reflect its diversified structure over the sky, offering a pink-ish, extremely bright and shiny color to the reflections in the clouds.
Image Source: myneonhaven.com
