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Once in a blue moon has come to mean once in a great while, but the actual frequency of blue moons averages about once every 2.7 years, a blue moon being the second full moon in the same month of a solar calendar. That average frequency is exactly the same as the average frequency of a leap month in a lunar calendar. The calculation of the average frequency of blue moons does not take into account that January and March of 2018 will EACH have two full moons, a rarity caused by the fact that February does not last as long as a lunar cycle.

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Q: The origin of Once in a blue moon?
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Why do we only see the full moon once a month?

Yes sometimes there are 2 full moons during one month. These do not happen very often and the second full moon is called a 'blue moon', hence the expression, "once in a blue moon".


What are the names of the two full moons in one month?

That's a "Blue Moon" . . . the second Full Moon in the same CALENDAR month.The cycle of moon-phases is 29 days, so there has to be a full moon on the 1st or 2nd of the month,in order to have another one before the end of the month.December 2009 will have Full Moons on the 2nd and the 31st. That will be the first time in a little over 3 years.


When does the blue sky turn from blue to sunset?

The sun goes down and the moon passes it by the sun alone is yellow by earth, but once the sun and moon pass each other the moon gives it the orange


Why do things happen in a blue moon?

The term "blue moon" comes from folklore. Different traditions and conventions place the extra "blue" full moon at different times in the year .In calculating the dates for Lent and Easter the Clergy identify the Lent Moon. It is thought that historically when the moons timing was too early, they named an earlier moon as a "betrayer moon" (belewe moon), thus the Lent moon came at its expected time.Folklore gave each moon a name according to its time of year. A moon that came too early had no folk name, and was called a blue moon, retaining the correct seasonal timings for future moons .The Farmers Almanac defined blue moon as an extra full moon that occurred in a season; one season was normally three full moons. If a season had four full moons, then the third full moon was named a blue moon.Recent popular usage defined a blue moon as the second full moon in a calendar month, stemming from an interpretation error made in 1946 that was discovered in 1999. For example, December 31, 2009 was a blue moon according to this usage.A "blue moon" is also used colloquially to mean "a rare event", reflected in the phrase "once in a blue moon". The most literal meaning of blue moon is when the moon (not necessarily a full moon) appears to a casual observer to be unusually bluish, which is a rare event. The effect can be caused by smoke or dust particles in the atmosphere, as has happened after forest fires in Sweden and Canada in 1950 and 1951


Is it possible to have a blue moon and a solar eclipse at the same time?

No. A blue moon happens when there is a second full moon. A solar eclipse happens when there is a new moon and it is right between the sun and the earth. But it is possible to have a blue moon and a lunar eclipse at the same time.

Related questions

How do you solve MOONCEON?

Usually the first two and the last two letters are blue, making it "once in a blue moon"


What is the origin of the expression Once in a blue moon?

Once in a very long time or takes ages to happen A "blue moon" is when there is a full moon twice in a calendar month-which IS rare, but occurs, on average, every 2.5 years.


When was Once in a Blue Moon - stories - created?

Once in a Blue Moon - stories - was created in 2003.


How many pages does Once in a Blue Moon - stories - have?

"Once in a Blue Moon: Stories" by Michael Morpurgo has 256 pages.


Did Bing Crosby record once in a blue moon?

Yes. Bing Crosby recorded 'Once In A Blue Moon'.


Is there anything significant about the blue moon in December 2009?

A Blue moon is the second full moon in a month. It happens only once in a while, therefore the old saying "Once in a blue moon."


How long is once in a blue moon?

Once in a blue moon is every 2 and 1/2 years.or, as google would put it,once in a blue moon = 1.16699016 × 10-8 hertz


What are the ratings and certificates for Once in a Blue Moon - 1995?

Once in a Blue Moon - 1995 is rated/received certificates of: USA:PG


Why do they call it a blue moon?

A blue moon appears once every two or three years. It is an astronomical phenomenon where the moon actually colors blue. This is why it is called a 'blue moon'.


When was Once in a Blue Moon - Fool's Garden album - created?

Once in a Blue Moon - Fool's Garden album - was created in 1993.


When was Once in a Blue Moon - Frankie Miller album - created?

Once in a Blue Moon - Frankie Miller album - was created in 1973-01.


What actors and actresses appeared in Once in a Blue Moon - 2013?

The cast of Once in a Blue Moon - 2013 includes: Anny Rosario as Nancy