Blue Moon Takes to the Sky, Won't Return Until 2015

Just as the moon isn’t made of cheese, it isn’t really blue either, but on Friday, Aug. 31, the phrase, "once in a blue moon" will apply. August will end with the second full moon of the month.

The month of August started with a full moon, with the first one taking place on Aug. 1, and ends with the full moon Friday.

Modern folklore has dubbed the occurrence of two full moons in a month as a blue moon, according to the science website EarthSky.org. The blue moon happens only every two to three years. The next blue moon isn’t expected until July 2015.

The moon may be doubly blue Friday, because the funeral service for Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, will be held Friday, according to Politico.

Armstrong died on Saturday at the age of 82. A private service is planned for Armstrong in Cincinnati, Politico reported.

And, while we may call it a blue moon, it is only a term and the moon is not really blue (or made of cheese) though sometimes conditions like smoke can make it appear blue-colored, according to EarthSky.org.

The National Weather Service says it will be hot Friday, with temperatures topping out at 92 degrees in . A slight chance of storms is possible, but those are likely after 1 a.m., so the sky should be clear for blue moon viewing.

Other Blue Moon References

• The phrase "once in a blue moon" dates back to medieval England and can be found in text dating back to 1528. At that time it mean something was impossible.
• Beer drinkers know Blue Moon, a Belgian-style wheat ale, is best served with an orange.
• There was actually a musical called the Blue Moon, which was set in India during the British rule of the continent.
• "Blue Moon" was a song written by Richard Rogers and Lorenz Hart. The song has been covered over the years by Mel Tormé, Elvis Presley and the Marcels. Watch a YouTube clip of various versions of the song.

—By Glen Ellyn Patch editor Mary Lopez

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