What is a blue moon — and why do we care?
People are looking up to see a blue moon in August this year. But what is a blue moon, and why do we care about it?
The Southern Hemisphere, which includes Southern Africa and Australia, is about to see a spectacular event. People are looking up to see a blue moon in August this year.
But what is a blue moon, and why do we care about it?
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Here’s what you should know about these types of events, and why people care to look at them throughout the year.
WHAT ARE BLUE MOONS?
There are two definitions for a blue moon.
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1. A blue moon is the third full moon, counted within a season with four total full moons.
2. According to Cambridge Dictionary, a blue moon can also be the “second full moon in a month”. Sometimes this is also called a “monthly blue moon” to set it apart from the first.
A blue moon is special because it doesn’t happen too often.
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The expression “once in a blue moon” has come to mean something that doesn’t happen often, according to Longman Dictionary.
WHAT ARE THE OTHER MOON TYPES?
There are other types too:
A blood moon is another name for a complete lunar eclipse. The name comes from the colour, as the full moon can appear red.
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A supermoon occurs when the moon is closest to Earth, according to NASA. Supermoons make the full moon appear slightly larger, and sometimes brighter as seen from Earth.
A harvest moon is the last full moon in March/April for the Southern Hemisphere. For the Northern Hemisphere, the harvest moon occurs in October/September.
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