Full blue moon on Halloween for the first time since 1944


Emily Class, Staff Writer

2020 has certainly been a year of rarities, and Halloween will be no exception. This Halloween will be the first full blue moon on Oct. 31 since 1944.  The blue moon itself is already odd, being the second full moon occurring within one month, as it usually occurs about every 2.5 years.  This blue moon isn’t only a spooky coincidence, but it will have various scientific and astrological effects. 

“I had no idea how rare this full moon was and that it would actually impact my horoscope for this month,” said junior Gabbie Nakashian. 

Being that the moon will peak in Taurus, an earth sign, it will probably bring on a steady and grounded energy which will reflect on all of the signs. However, the four signs that will be impacted the most include Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius, and Taurus.  Leos will be faced with change, and a good time to try new things.  Scorpios should expect to feel grounded in all areas, especially their love lives.  Aquarians, like Leos, should stay open minded and accept change that comes their way. 

Lastly, since Taurians are experiencing the moon peak in their sign, so they are affected the most.  They should await emotional unpredictability, to contrast their usual constancy. The signs Aries, Gemini, Libra, and Sagittarius, may not even notice this special event because they will all be least affected by the moon in Taurus.    

 Blue moons show up around every 2.5 years, but a full (sometimes blue) moon on Halloween only occurs every 19 years.  Consequently, the expression “when the moon turns blue,” has been used from as early as the eighteenth century in order to express something absurd and that would never happen.  But by the nineteenth century, people began to witness a change in the moon’s hue to blue.  This phenomenon switched the saying to “once in a blue moon”. 

“I knew that the phrase ‘once in a blue moon’ refers to something very rare, as a blue moon is not a common occurrence,” said junior Hallie Nissenbaum. 

A change in the color of the moon is almost always due to a natural disaster propelling dust into the sky.  The earliest case of this dates back to Indonesia in 1883, when the volcano Krakatoa erupted.  The incredible force of the eruption shot dust into the sky which made their sunsets green and their moon blue for an entire two years.  The moon itself doesn’t change color, but rather dust creates a filter over the moon from our perspective. 

In the 1950s, smoke particles produced by Canadian forest fires turned the moon blue in the northeastern skies.  These events subsequently resolved the phrase “once in a blue moon” to refer to something that happens very rarely instead of an impossibility. 

“I can’t believe the moon is going to be blue.  It sets such a spooky mood for Halloween,” said junior Thalia Tapia.

The extraordinary qualities of a second full moon in a month tend to marvel and inspire its viewers.  Songs have been written, art has been created, and even restaurants and stores have coined the name “blue moon”.  One year in particular created a phenomenon around the blue moon.  In 1988, it became a fad in American culture after a second full moon happened in May of that year.

Although the moon will be known for its spooky character, allow yourself to take a moment to appreciate its rarity and beauty because you won’t be able to see another one until 2039.