The error took on a life of its own and spread around as fact. The more popular definition of the Blue Moon, that of the second Full Moon in a month, owes its existence to a misinterpretation originally made by amateur astronomer James Hugh Pruett (1886–1955) in a 1946 edition of Sky & Telescope magazine. Is there a perfect calendar? Origins of the Monthly Blue Moon Naming the third Moon of the season as the Blue Moon ensured that Lent and Easter coincided with the right Moon phases, and other celebrations and customs would still fall during their “proper” times. The first Full Moon of spring-also known as the Easter Moon or the Paschal Moon-falls just before Easter. The month of Lent contains the final Full Moon of winter, Lenten Moon. The calendar uses the phases of the Moon to determine the exact dates for holidays like Lent and Easter. ![]() We can thank the Christian ecclesiastical calendar for the reason why the third Full Moon of the season is called the Blue Moon. According to the Almanac, the appearance of a 13th Full Moon in a year ‘upset the arrangement of Church festivals.’ The unlucky status of the number 13 and the difficulties of calculating the occurrence of such a Full Moon led to the extra Full Moon being named a Blue Moon. The definition of a seasonal Blue Moon, the third Full Moon in an astronomical season with four Full Moons, can be traced back to the now-defunct Maine Farmer's Almanac. Others trace the term's origin to over 400 years ago-folklorist Philip Hiscock has suggested that invoking the Blue Moon once meant that something was absurd and would never happen. Some believe that the term “blue moon” meaning something rare may have originated from when smoke and ashes after a volcanic eruption turned the Moon blue. The historical origins of the term and its two definitions are shrouded in a bit of mystery and, by many accounts, an interpretation error. Names of all the Full Moons in a year Why Is It Called a Blue Moon? ![]() The dates may vary depending on your time zone. The next monthly Blue Moon is on May 31, 2026. The next seasonal Blue Moon takes place on August 19, 2024. A monthly Blue Moon is the second Full Moon in a calendar month with two Full Moons. A seasonal Blue Moon is the third Full Moon of an astronomical season that has four Full Moons. There are two different definitions for a Blue Moon. Business Date to Date (exclude holidays).
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