Community Corner
"Blue Moon" Shines Friday; Next One's in 2015
By John Charlesworth, Professor of Astronomy at Napa Valley College.
Friday, August 31, 2012 is a “blue moon.” The second full moon within a calendar month is called a blue moon.
There was a full moon on August 1st, so Friday’s full moon is a blue moon.
The blue moon looks the same as any other full moon. Why it is called a “blue” moon seems to be lost in antiquity.
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Blue moons are not a rare as most people realize. They occur about once
every 2 ½ years.
The last blue moon was December 31, 2009, and the next one will be July 31, 2015.
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So be careful when you say that you will do something, such as takes to kids to Disneyland, “once in a blue moon.” It might come sooner than you think!
By Astronomy Professor John Charlesworth.
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