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It is sometimes mistakenly called a "blue moon." There is no "official" name for the second full moon in a month. The full moon is an astronomical phenomenon that happens at a specific moment. Specifying that moment (as, for example, "7:23 PM on November 21st" depends entirely on the usage of the Roman calendar and the time zone of the observer. So the "second full moon in the month" might not even occur for a different observer. The full moons must be approximately 28 days apart, so this means that each would necessarily fall near the beginning and end of a month, increasing the likelihood that each would occur in a different month.


The history of the term "blue moon" is very interesting, and to read it just follow the related link below. In summary, a "blue moon" is the 4th full moon in an official "season". Seasons usually have only three full moons, and in folklore each moon has a name which helps farmers know when to do certain things. An extra moon throws this off, and so was named "the blue moon" leaving the other full moons to carry their proper names.


The suggestion that the second full moon in a month is called a "blue moon" comes from an error made in "Sky and Telescope" magazine in 1946, and repeated several times in print and on radio until it was accepted as the truth.


See the link below for the whole story.

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15y ago

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