By Aditya Vikram Singh/New Delhi:
THE ‘Once in a Blue Moon’ story will come to be true once again this Saturday when the world will witness the occurrence of the rare celestial wonder Blue Moon on October 31.
Although this is a rare and good tiding for the excited and exalted sky-watchers, there is some slight disappointment for star- gazers, as the rare celestial wonder would be witnessed over some parts of the globe only, astrologers said on Tuesday.
As per astrologers, the Blue Moon, the rare occurrence and the celestial wonder, could be witnessed in parts of Europe, USA and Africa besides some other countries. During the current month of October, the second full moon will be seen on October 31st, and this moon will be called Blue Moon.
It’s worth mentioning here that the first full moon this month occurred on October 2, and only on special occasions, two full moons (Purna Chandra) could be witnessed in a period of one single month, astrologers mentioned.
Typically, every month witnesses one full moon and one new moon. However, there are some unusual occasions when the same month gets two full moons. The second full moon is referred to as the ‘Blue Moon’.
According to Arvind Paranjape, Director of Mumbai-based Nehru Planetarium, when two full moons occurred in a month, the second full moon is considered as the Blue Moon. The Blue Moon name came into fashion since 1946, astrologers said.
As per the astrologers, the shape of the moon during the Blue Moon, gets enhanced by 14 per cent. The shining of the moon during the Blue Moon, also gets brighter, as compared to other days, the astrologers pointed out.
A lunar month’s duration is 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes and 38 seconds, which makes the second full moon possible only when the first full moon is there on the first two days of the month. Due to this, after about 30 months, there is one extra full moon in the year.
According to astrologers, the last Blue Moon in a month with 30 days, was on June 30, 2007, and the next one will be on September 30, 2050. However, August 31 of 2023, will see the next blue moon. Interestingly, the phrase, ”Once in a Blue Moon” owes its existence to this rare celestial event that hugely delights the star- gazers and sky-watchers. The phrase, which is used to describe a rare occurrence, was first used in 16th century to indicate something absurd, astrologers pointed out.
Officials at the Nehru Planetarium in New Delhi and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh echoed similar sentiments, saying the star gazers and sky watchers besides astrologers and other enthusiasts will be glued to the rare celestial wonder that will occur at 08.19 pm on October 31, 2020.
(Author Aditya Vikram Singh is a senior journalist, currently associated with Democratic Accent as Special Correspondent. He is well-known for his hard-hitting stories and investigative reporting, and has extensive experience in all important beats. He had previously worked with reputed groups such as Indian Express and Hindustan Times.)
