Happy Blue Moon

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The “Blue” Moon on New Years’s Eve is given the name “The Long Night’s Moon”

The moon reached is fullest at 2:13 PM EST. According to space.com

Nights are at their longest and darkest. The term Long Night Moon is a doubly appropriate name because the midwinter night is indeed long and the moon is above the horizon a long time. The midwinter full moon takes a high trajectory across the sky because it is opposite to the low Sun. This is the second time the moon turns full in a calendar month, so it is also popularly known as a “Blue Moon.” Full moons occur on average each 29.53 days (the length of the synodic month), or 12.3683 times per year; so months containing two full moons occur on average every 2.72 years, or every 2 years plus 8 or 9 months. There will be a partial lunar eclipse that will be visible from Europe, Africa and Asia with this full moon. At its maximum 7.6-percent of the moon’s diameter will become immersed in the Earth’s dark umbral shadow.  

However the term “Blue Moon” is just a “creature of folklore”

Nights are at their longest and darkest. The term Long Night Moon is a doubly appropriate name because the midwinter night is indeed long and the moon is above the horizon a long time. The midwinter full moon takes a high trajectory across the sky because it is opposite to the low Sun. This is the second time the moon turns full in a calendar month, so it is also popularly known as a “Blue Moon.” Full moons occur on average each 29.53 days (the length of the synodic month), or 12.3683 times per year; so months containing two full moons occur on average every 2.72 years, or every 2 years plus 8 or 9 months. There will be a partial lunar eclipse that will be visible from Europe, Africa and Asia with this full moon. At its maximum 7.6-percent of the moon’s diameter will become immersed in the Earth’s dark umbral shadow.  

For Wiccans it is a time of ritual and “magic”. The moon phases are tied to the ebbs and flows of the tide, as well as the every-changing cycle of womens’ bodies. We celebrate with seasonal foods and symbols, fir boughs, mistletoe, holly, hot mulled cider and wine, nuts and dries berries, hearty stews and ales.

We gather with friends an family around the fires to light the darkness and warm the heart and soul.

Blessed Be on this last Full Moon of the old year as we welcome in the New year.

Happy New Year to All. Blessed be…TMC

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    • TMC on January 1, 2010 at 05:49
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  1. From What’s a Blue Moon? at Sky & Telescope:


    When is the Moon ‘blue,’ in a calendrical sense? According to the Maine almanac, a Blue Moon occurs when a season has four full Moons, rather than the usual three. This type of Blue Moon is found only in February, May, August, and November, one month before the next equinox or solstice. According to modern folklore, a Blue Moon is the second full Moon in a calendar month. This type of Blue Moon can occur in any month but February, which is always shorter than the time between successive full Moons.

    S&T illustration.

    It’s like a leap year day, it’s to keep the names of the solstice/equinox moons straight when there are 13 full moons rather than 12 in a year.

    Or it’s a second full moon in a calendar month.

    Happy Long Night’s Moon!

  2. ice-floe screens of clouds passing in front of a dime-thin full moon.  plus, animals and trees.  and a warm house, secluded on a ridge.  and booze and piano.  internet connection.  what, me worry?

  3. And yeah, they get Sendak wild.

    Blessed be.

  4. Blessings to the Night.  

     

    • dkmich on January 1, 2010 at 13:30

    There are too many people who can’t handle anymore bad news.  

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