There Will Be A Rare Blue Moon Sighting On Halloween

Aug 21, 2020 by apost team

Blue moons are a relatively natural occurrence — they occur when there are two full moons in a month. However, the days the full moon officially falls on are what makes this one extra special. The first full moon of October 2020 will be on the first day of the month. The second full moon will be on the last day of the month — on Halloween! For those of us who are scary movie lovers, this sounds like the setup for a cheesy horror movie.

You've probably heard the phrase "once in a blue moon" before, but plenty of people don't actually know what it means. A blue moon refers to a space phenomenon in which there are not one, but two full moons during one month.

When you say "once in a blue moon," you're saying that something happens only occasionally, or every now and then. Blue moons are relatively rare, usually happening once every two and a half years on average, according to NASA.

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All the same, blue moons are something astronomers often celebrate. By appearance, blue moons look no different than regular full moons, as NASA explains. A common assumption is that blue moons are actually blue in color, but this isn't the case. The only difference between a blue moon and a regular full moon is that a blue moon is the second full moon in a calendar cycle, reports House Beautiful.

Still, plenty of individuals will want to see this blue moon for themselves, as they are relatively rare and don't happen often. What our viewing options will be by October is a little bit iffy — whether individuals will be able to gather together to view the moon with their friends and families is uncertain due to the pandemic. Hopefully, we will all be able to find a way to reliably and safely view the full moon.

Because it falls on Halloween, it's kind of a blessing for some of us. After all, plenty of individuals enjoy Halloween and name it as one of their favorite holidays. Given current social distancing guidelines, though, it's hard to say whether it will be safe to go out, attend parties and gatherings or even go trick-or-treating by October.

However, at least viewing the blue moon is an activity that can take place while following safe social distancing guidelines and allowing us to experience an awesome natural occurrence with others.

Ultimately, the blue moon doesn't always hold bad omens — in fact, in some cultures, it's considered a good omen of sorts. Many individuals are nervous about anything out of sorts happening this year, given everything that has already happened in 2020.

This is understandable, but you should keep in mind that blue moons are nothing to be afraid of. All it means for us is that we will have 13 full moons in 2020, instead of the usual 12. It's a cool thing that happens every few years, due to our lunar cycles.

Whether you love full moons, think Halloween is cool, or are just looking for an excuse to get out of the house, the blue moon will give you something to talk about this Halloween, for sure. This year's holiday of spooky and scary events may seem just a bit dismal, but the presence of this rare, extra full moon is at least one thing we can all celebrate, whether together or socially distanced.

What do you think about the upcoming blue moon? Let us know below! And make sure to pass this on to friends and family members so they know to look out for this on Halloween.