Once in a blue moon
Hey everyone! I figured out what is going on with 2020. There will be 13 full moons this year! As good as that sounds this actually happens, on average, every two and a half years. It’s not super common, but it happens more often than years like this occur. Thank God for that! October is the month in 2020 that will have two full moons.
Most people know the second full moon to occur in the same month is known as a Blue moon. This, however, is a mistake that has perpetuated into being common knowledge. The original definition of Blue moon is the third of four full moons that occur in one season. The seasons here are defined by the solstices and equinoxes.
This blue moon is of the calendar definition. It is the second full moon in the calendar month. The next calendar Blue moon will be on August 31, 2023. The next seasonal Blue moon will be August 22, 2021.
#1 Harvest moon October 1
The first full moon to come in October will be on the first of the month. This is the Harvest moon. The Harvest moon is the full moon that takes place closest to the fall equinox. Remember we just had our fall equinox on September 22nd. You can read more on that here. The Harvest moon traditionally rises early and is normally very big and bright. This is important. Fall is the time for harvest. This is a very busy season for farmers and entails long days and even longer nights. Farmers have used the light from this big bright moon to help them harvest crops late into the night. This is where the name came from. Mark your calendars! Harvest your crops on October 1st by the light of the moon.
#2 Blue hunter’s moon on October 31
The second full moon October 2020 brings us the Blue moon. This moon is also called the Hunter’s Moon. The Hunter’s moon and the Harvest moon are similar in many ways. The term Hunter’s moon originated from the Native Americans. Traditionally this is the name of the full moon that occurs in October.
Just like the Harvest moon, this moon rises a little earlier than other moons. This means there is a shorter gap in light from sunset to moonrise. The Native Americans used this moonlight to hunt deer. They needed to stockpile meats and supplies before winter. As you can see, the Hunter moon was very important to Native Americans. A good hunt meant surviving the winter.
Halloween in October 2020
OK, so it really sucks that there’s such a long, bright, full moon on Halloween this year. The lighting and ambiance provided by Mother Nature for trick or treaters would have been epic. Plus, this year Halloween falls on a Saturday. Those two things combined were enough to make this a Halloween of legend!
Halloween is one of the major holidays we celebrate in this house. We spend months prepping costumes and decorating! In an effort to not let Covid ruin it, I’m thinking we’ll go all out on decorating the house and have an outdoor movie night in lieu of trick or treating. We’ll even throw in a BBQ and a fire pit. Maybe I’ll even bake a cake. I encourage everyone to make this evening safe, fun, memorable, and of course magical. Find a way to channel that inner child and make some good memories despite all the crap going on! Halloween is going to be a wonderful night to go moon gazing after all!