31 August 2012: blue moon

On Friday August 31 we will experience what is known as a "blue moon." The blue moon occurs approximately every 2.5 years when there is a second full moon in a single month. It happens when the first full moon is early in the month and the last full moon is four weeks later, still within the same month. August’s first full moon appeared on August 2.

It only happens in months with 31 days, usually August and December, and only every two-and-a-half years. The last blue moon occurred on 31 December 2009.

The expression "once in a blue moon" is used colloquially to mean “not very often” or “rarely.” The moon does not actually change colour, although it occasionally appears to change colour due to dust particles in the atmosphere.

Some people say that when you get two full moons in one calendar month, the second one brings surprises and occurrences that turn up suddenly - “out of the blue.”

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