by Nancy Natividad
Arrow Staff

It’s rare to have the opportunity to see two full moons in one month, but having this happen two months out of the year is almost unheard of.  But that’s exactly what’s happening with the start of this new year.

January will have two full moons: the first was on Jan. 2 and the next will appear on Jan 31. Since February is so short, the moon’s cycle does not have  time to complete so there will be no full moons. But to make up for this, on March 30 there will be a blue moon.
 
“The second full moon in a month is the blue moon,” said chemistry teacher  Geoff Hughes. “Having two blue moons in the same year is very unusual.”

 The moon’s cycle is 29.53 days.    The last time there were two blue moons in the same year was in 1911, 87 years ago.

Although the moon isn’t necessarily blue, the term “blue moon” has been used for over 400 years holding many different meanings.

1. Second full moon in a month
2. In songs by Elvis Presley and Bill Monroe, used as a symbol of sadness and loneliness.
3. In Indonesia in 1883 when the volcano Krakatoa exploded, it turned the sunsets green and the moon blue
4. “Once in a blue moon” means an event that is fairly infrequent, but not quite regular enough to pinpoint.
5. Rede Me and Be Not Wroth by Shakespeare is first reference to blue moon in 1528:
“Yf they say the mone is blewe
We must believe that it is true”


 

Some moon facts

Although the moon isn’t necessarily blue, the term “blue moon” has been used for over 400 years holding many different meanings.

1. Second full moon in a month

2. In songs by Elvis Presley and Bill Monroe, used as a symbol of sadness and loneliness.

3. In Indonesia in 1883 when the volcano Krakatoa exploded, it turned the sunsets green and the moon blue

4. “Once in a blue moon” means an event that is fairly infrequent, but not quite regular enough to pinpoint.

5. Rede Me and Be Not Wroth by Shakespeare is first reference to blue moon in 1528:

“Yf they say the mone is blewe

We must believe that it is true”