Experience the enchanting "Blue Moon," which occasionally appears with an icy blue hue due to volcanic ash scattering red light. But this month, we get the humdrum version—a second full moon in a calendar month, not related to color. Enjoy this celestial phenomenon without the blue tint! 🌕🔵
Transcript:
Did you know that on rare occasions, the Moon takes on an icy blue appearance. A Blue Moon. What a site.
In 1883, after the Indonesian volcano Krakatoa exploded, the moon looked blue for years.
See, plumes of ash blasted into the atmosphere contained particles that were just the right size to strongly scatter red light.
Scattering out long wavelength red light out before the moon light reaches our eyes leaves it looking blue. Voila, blue moon.
And get this… this month there’s a blue moon.
But…. Not that kind of blue moon.
Nope.
We get the humdrum blue moon that isn’t blue at all.
A “Blue Moon” of this sort is simply the second full moon that occurs in a calendar month. It’s that simple. Nothing to do with color.
Since it takes just under thirty days for the Moon to orbit Earth, occasionally there’s a second full moon in a month. Nothing more.
Aww… Sorry to let you down.
But happy to clear things up.