New Year's Eve 'blue moon' to ring in 2010

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By Phillip Torrone
Posted 2009/12/31 @ 11:54 am
Category Science

New Year’s Eve ‘blue moon’ to ring in 2010!

Once in a blue moon there is one on New Year’s Eve. Revelers ringing in 2010 will be treated to a so-called blue moon. According to popular definition, a blue moon is the second full moon in a month. But don’t expect it to be blue â€” the name has nothing to do with the color of our closest celestial neighbor. A full moon occurred on Dec. 2. It will appear again on Thursday in time for the New Year’s countdown. “If you’re in Times Square, you’ll see the full moon right above you. It’s going to be that brilliant,” said Jack Horkheimer, director emeritus of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium and host of a weekly astronomy TV show.

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3 Responses to New Year's Eve 'blue moon' to ring in 2010

Rob Cruickshank on December 31st, 2009 at 12:27 pm said:

I’m holding out for the Worm Moon in march.
http://www.farmersalmanac.com/astronomy/a/marchs-full-worm-moon
We’re going to eat gummy worms, and drink a six-pack.

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Collin Cunningham on December 31st, 2009 at 12:49 pm said:

Jack Horkheimer – host of Star Hustler!
Aah memories â€¦ the show came on right after Doctor Who when I was a wee lad.

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Paul Gerhardt on December 31st, 2009 at 6:29 pm said:

I only point this out because it lead me to one of the most thorough blog posts I’ve ever read: http://www.panic.com/blog/2009/12/on-calendars/

The gist of it is Blue Moons are defined as the 3rd full moon in a season which has 4 full moons (seasons usually have 3.) The “second full moon in a month” definition stems for a misinterpretation made by an amateur astronomer in a 1946 Sky and Telescope magazine. Because this full moon occurs after the winter solstice it technically belongs to next years winter.

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