Once in a blue moon, there is one on New Year's Eve.
Once
in
a
blue
moon
,
there
is
one
on
New
Year
's
Eve
.
Revelers ringing in 2010 will be treated to a so-called blue moon.
Revelers
ringing
in
2010
will
be
treated
to
a
so-called
blue
moon
.
According to popular definition, a blue moon is the second full moon in a month.
According
to
popular
definition
,
a
blue
moon
is
the
second
full
moon
in
a
month
.
But don't expect it to be blue - the name has nothing to do with the color of our closest celestial neighbor.
But
do
n't
expect
it
to
be
blue
-
the
name
has
nothing
to
do
with
the
color
of
our
closest
celestial
neighbor
.
A full moon occurred on December 2.
A
full
moon
occurred
on
December
2
.
It will appear again on Thursday in time for the New Year's countdown.
It
will
appear
again
on
Thursday
in
time
for
the
New
Year
's
countdown
.
The New Year's Eve blue moon will be visible in the United States, Canada, Europe, South America and Africa.
The
New
Year
's
Eve
blue
moon
will
be
visible
in
the
United
States
,
Canada
,
Europe
,
South
America
and
Africa
.
For partygoers in Australia and Asia, the full moon does not show up until New Year's Day, making January a blue moon month for them.
For
partygoers
in
Australia
and
Asia
,
the
full
moon
does
not
show
up
until
New
Year
's
Day
,
making
January
a
blue
moon
month
for
them
.
A full moon occurs every 29.5 days, and most years have 12.
A
full
moon
occurs
every
29.5
days
,
and
most
years
have
12
.
On average, an extra full moon in a month - a blue moon - occurs every 2.5 years.
On
average
,
an
extra
full
moon
in
a
month
-
a
blue
moon
-
occurs
every
2.5
years
.
The last time there was a lunar double take was in May 2007.
The
last
time
there
was
a
lunar
double
take
was
in
May
2007
.
New Year's Eve blue moons are rarer, occurring every 19 years.
New
Year
's
Eve
blue
moons
are
rarer
,
occurring
every
19
years
.
The last time was in 1990; the next one won't come again until 2028.
The
last
time
was
in
1990
;
the
next
one
wo
n't
come
again
until
2028
.
"Blue moons have no astronomical significance," said Greg Laughlin, an astronomer at the University of California.
``
Blue
moons
have
no
astronomical
significance
,
''
said
Greg
Laughlin
,
an
astronomer
at
the
University
of
California
.
"`Blue moon' is just a name in the same sense as a `hunter's moon' (a full moon in octorber) or a `harvest moon,"' Laughlin said in an e-mail.
``
`Blue
moon
'
is
just
a
name
in
the
same
sense
as
a
`hunter
's
moon
'
(
a
full
moon
in
octorber
)
or
a
`harvest
moon
,
'
''
Laughlin
said
in
an
e-mail
.
The popular definition of blue moon came about after a writer for Sky & Telescope magazine in 1946 misinterpreted the Maine Farmer's Almanac and labeled a blue moon as the second full moon in a month.
The
popular
definition
of
blue
moon
came
about
after
a
writer
for
Sky
&
Telescope
magazine
in
1946
misinterpreted
the
Maine
Farmer
's
Almanac
and
labeled
a
blue
moon
as
the
second
full
moon
in
a
month
.
In fact, the almanac defined a blue moon as the third full moon in a season with four full moons.
In
fact
,
the
almanac
defined
a
blue
moon
as
the
third
full
moon
in
a
season
with
four
full
moons
.
Once in a blue moon, there is one on New Year's Eve. Revelers ringing in 2010 will be treated to a so-called blue moon. According to popular definition, a blue moon is the second full moon in a month. But don't expect it to be blue - the name has nothing to do with the color of our closest celestial neighbor. A full moon occurred on December 2. It will appear again on Thursday in time for the New Year's countdown.  The New Year's Eve blue moon will be visible in the United States, Canada, Europe, South America and Africa. For partygoers in Australia and Asia, the full moon does not show up until New Year's Day, making January a blue moon month for them.  A full moon occurs every 29.5 days, and most years have 12. On average, an extra full moon in a month - a blue moon - occurs every 2.5 years. The last time there was a lunar double take was in May 2007. New Year's Eve blue moons are rarer, occurring every 19 years. The last time was in 1990; the next one won't come again until 2028.  "Blue moons have no astronomical significance," said Greg Laughlin, an astronomer at the University of California. "`Blue moon' is just a name in the same sense as a `hunter's moon' (a full moon in octorber) or a `harvest moon,"' Laughlin said in an e-mail.  The popular definition of blue moon came about after a writer for Sky & Telescope magazine in 1946 misinterpreted the Maine Farmer's Almanac and labeled a blue moon as the second full moon in a month. In fact, the almanac defined a blue moon as the third full moon in a season with four full moons.