Blue Moon: What is it and when is the next one

Blue Moon: What is it and when is the next one

This year, Earth experienced a Blue Moon. In this section, we go over this phenomenon in greater detail.

WHAT IS A BLUE MOON?

As the pattern of the periods of the moon endures roughly one month, we commonly experience 12 full moons every year. Many societies have given particular names to every month's full moon. 12 names, 12 full moons, and 12 months. Basic right?

All things considered, not exactly. Here's where the Blue Moon comes into the situation.

The 12 lunar cycles can be completed in just 354 days because the phases of the moon take 29.5 days to complete. So every 2.5 years or so a thirteenth full moon is seen inside a schedule year.

This 13th full moon is called the Blue Moon because it doesn't follow the usual name.

HOW OFTEN DO BLUE MOONS OCCUR?

In spite of the famous expression "very rarely", Blue Moons can happen moderately regularly, or at least, in cosmic terms.

Blue Moons happen once every a few years, as indicated by NASA. Since February only has 28 days in a normal year and 29 in a leap year, there will never be a monthly Blue Moon due to the roughly 29.5 days between full moons. Once in a while February doesn't have a Full Moon by any means, this is known as a Dark Moon, as per Time and Date.

The next seasonal Blue Moon will take place on Aug. 19/20, 2024.  

The next monthly Blue Moon is on May 31, 2026, according to Time and Date. 

WHEN WAS THE LAST BLUE MOON?

On August 30, 2023, there was the last Blue Moon.

Check out our helpful guide on how to photograph the moon if you want to learn how to take an impressive lunar image yourself and want to try your hand at it.

CAN THE MOON EVER TURN BLUE?

Yes! Yet, this is a very uncommon occasion, you really might say it works out "very rarely".

As per NASA in 1883 an Indonesian fountain of liquid magma called Krakatoa emitted and spread debris as high as 50 miles (80 kilometers) into the air. The minuscule debris particles — around one micron in size — went about as a channel, dissipating red light and turning the moon an unmistakable blue-green tone.

As per NASA Science, other volcanic emissions have likewise been known to cause blue moons remembering the 1983 ejection of El Chichon fountain of liquid magma for Mexico and the ejections of Mt. St. Helens in 1980 and Mount Pinatubo in 1991.

When is the next Blue Moon?

The following Blue Moon will happen on Aug.19, 2024, at 2:26 p.m. ET (1826 GMT).

Related: Last Really Blue Moon until 2037 lights up skies all over the planet (photographs)

There are two kinds of Blue Moons however sadly, neither has a say in variety.

An occasional Blue Moon is the conventional meaning of a Blue Moon and alludes to the third full moon in a season that has four full moons as per NASA. While the subsequent definition — borne out of a misconception of the first — is a month to month Blue Moon which alludes to the subsequent full moon inside a solitary schedule month. The month to month Blue Moon is these days considered the second meaning of a Blue Moon instead of an error, as per Time and Date.