Is there a blue moon in 2023?
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For more than half a century, whenever two full Moons appeared in a single month (which happens on average every 2 1/2 to 3 years), the second has been christened a “Blue Moon.” (In our lexicon, we describe an unusual event as happening “Once in a Blue
Moon.”) However, there’s another definition of “Blue Moon” that has to do with the number of full Moons throughout a single season, which is the case in August 2024. But is this the correct definition? For the longest time, nobody knew exactly why the second full Moon of a calendar month was designated as a “Blue Moon.” One explanation connects it with the word belewe from Old English, meaning, “to betray.” Perhaps, then, the Moon was “belewe” because it betrayed the
usual perception of one full Moon per month? That makes sense! However, in the March 1999 issue of Sky & Telescope magazine, writer Phillip Hiscock decided to get to the bottom of the somewhat confusing origin of the term. It seems that the modern custom of naming the second full Moon of any given month a “Blue Moon” was actually based on a misinterpretation outlined in an article in the March 1946 Sky & Telescope magazine. That article was titled, “Once in a Blue
Moon,” written by James Hugh Pruett, who incorrectly summarized what he read in the Maine Farmers’ Almanac (no relation to this Farmers’ Almanac based in Lewiston, Maine). Pruett declared that a second full Moon in a calendar month is a “Blue Moon.” However, Pruett’s summary was an incorrect interpretation of what the almanac was saying! After reviewing what was actually written in the
Maine Farmer’s Almanac on the subject, Hiscock found that the Maine Farmers’ Almanac‘s definition of a “Blue Moon” was derived from a completely different (and rather convoluted) seasonal rule. As simply as can be described, the almanac stated that there are normally three full Moons for each season of the year. But when a particular season ends up containing four full Moons, then the third is called a Blue Moon. If you’re wondering
how Pruett could make such an error in his interpretation, you’re not alone. The following is a list of Blue Moons following the “seasonal” rule: The next Blue Moon by the “two-in-one-month”
definition is August 31, 2023. There are two instances when we call a full Moon a “Blue Moon:” On past occasions, usually after vast forest fires or major volcanic eruptions, the Moon has reportedly taken on a bluish or
lavender hue. Soot and ash particles propelled high into the Earth’s atmosphere, can sometimes make the Moon appear bluish. But the full Moon of any month or season doesn’t turn blue in color. Wondering when the next full Moon is? Check out the names, dates, and times of all the year’s
full Moons! Based on the above information, what do you think should be done to correct the definition of Blue Moon? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
"Once in a Blue moon" is a phrase commonly used to describe an incredibly rare event, but what does it mean in astronomical terms? Can the moon turn blue? There are two types of Blue Moons but unfortunately neither has anything to do with color. A seasonal Blue Moon is the traditional definition of a Blue Moon and refers to the third full moon in a season that has four full moons according to NASA (opens in new tab). Whilst the second definition — borne out of a misunderstanding of the first — is a monthly Blue Moon which refers to the second full moon within a single calendar month. The monthly Blue Moon is nowadays considered the second definition of a Blue Moon rather than a mistake, according to Time and Date (opens in new tab). Related: What is a blood moon? What is a Blue Moon?As the cycle of the phases of the moon lasts approximately one month, we typically experience 12 full moons each year. Many cultures have given distinct names to each month's full moon. 12 months, 12 full moons, 12 names. Simple right? Well, not quite. Here's where the Blue Moon comes into the equation. The moon phases actually take 29.5 days to complete which means it takes just 354 days to complete 12 lunar cycles. So every 2.5 years or so a 13th full moon is observed within a calendar year. This 13th full moon doesn't conform to the normal naming scheme and is referred to as the Blue Moon. How often do Blue Moons occur?Contrary to the popular phrase "once in a blue moon", Blue Moons can occur relatively frequently, that is, in astronomical terms. Blue Moons occur once every two to three years, according to NASA. As there are roughly 29.5 days between full moons, February will never experience a monthly Blue Moon as it only has 28 days in a common year and 29 in a leap year. Sometimes February doesn't have a Full Moon at all, this is known as a Black Moon, according to Time and Date. When is the next Blue Moon?The next monthly Blue Moon is on Aug. 30/31, 2023 according to Time and Date. The next seasonal Blue Moon will take place on Aug. 19/20, 2024. When was the last Blue Moon?The last Blue Moon was on Aug. 22, 2021, and thrilled skywatchers worldwide. Related: Rare Blue Moon, the last until 2023, wows stargazers (photos) If you're interested in trying to capture an impressive lunar image yourself and want to learn the right techniques and tools, check out our handy how to photograph the moon guide. Can the moon ever turn blue?Yes! But this is a very rare event, in fact, you could say it happens "once in a Blue Moon". According to NASA in 1883 an Indonesian volcano called Krakatoa erupted and spread ash as high as 50 miles (80 kilometers) into the atmosphere. The tiny ash particles — about one micron in size — acted as a filter, scattering red light and turning the moon a distinct blue-green hue. According to NASA Science (opens in new tab), other volcanic eruptions have also been known to cause blue moons including the 1983 eruption of El Chichon volcano in Mexico and the eruptions of Mt. St. Helens in 1980 and Mount Pinatubo in 1991. Additional informationExplore Blue Moons in a nutshell with ESA's useful Blue Moon infographic (opens in new tab). Check out this cool image (opens in new tab) of a Blue Moon captured by the European weather satellite MSG-3 just before the moon disappeared out of sight. Discover the difference between (opens in new tab) types of full moons with NASA. BibliographyMohon, L. (2021, August 20). Blue Moon – Watch the skies. NASA. Retrieved April 21, 2022, from https://blogs.nasa.gov/Watch_the_Skies/tag/blue-moon/ NASA. (n.d.). Blue Moon. NASA. Retrieved April 21, 2022, from https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2004/07jul_bluemoon Hocken, V., & Kher, A. Look up for a blue moon! What Is a Blue Moon? Retrieved April 21, 2022, from https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/blue-moon.html#:~:text=The%20next%20monthly%20Blue%20Moon,are%20traditionally%20called%20Sturgeon%20Moons.&text=There%20is%20no%20Blue%20Moon%20in%202022. Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: . Daisy Dobrijevic joined Space.com in February 2022 as a reference writer having previously worked for our sister publication All About Space magazine as a staff writer. Before joining us, Daisy completed an editorial internship with the BBC Sky at Night Magazine and worked at the National Space Centre in Leicester, U.K., where she enjoyed communicating space science to the public. In 2021, Daisy completed a PhD in plant physiology and also holds a Master's in Environmental Science, she is currently based in Nottingham, U.K. Is there a Blue Moon in 2024?The next seasonal Blue Moon will take place on Aug. 19/20, 2024.
When's the next Blue Moon coming?That's right: we won't have any Blue Moons in 2022! The Blue Moon in August 2023 will be a calendrical Blue Moon (the second full Moon in a calendar month). After that, the next Blue Moon we'll experience is a seasonal Blue Moon (the third of four full Moons in one astronomical season) on August 24, 2024.
What years have Blue Moons?In fact, Blue Moons are not all that rare, on average there will be one Blue Moon every 2.5 years. After 1999, the next Blue Moons will be in November 2001; July 2004; and June 2007. The last one before 1999 was in July 1996. The term Blue Moon is believed to have originated in 1883 after the eruption of Krakatoa.
Is there a black moon in 2023?A second defintion of a black moon says that it is the third new moon in a season of four new moons, according to Space.com. The next date that type of black moon will occur is May 19, 2023.
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