Moonrise on Halloween The night will be a bit more spooky than usual this year. The sky will be illuminated by one moon – a rare treat on Hallows’ New Year’s Eve that only happens about once every 19 years.
Something else that makes this full moon, known as the “Hunter’s Moon”, is even more special: It was the second that happened in October. That means it’s “Blue Moon” and is the only full moon event in 2020, according to NASA.
However, since the full moon arrives at the time the moon is farthest from Earth, it will also be a “Micro Moon”
;, as opposed to “Supermoon”, meaning it looks slightly smaller than a full moon. often. . And if that still doesn’t name enough for you, then fall’s second full moon state makes it a “beaver Moon,” according to NASA.Related: Collection: Great full moon
This will be the first time since 1944 that the Halloween full moon will appear at night (weather permitting) in all time zones in the United States, according to Farmer’s Almanac. According to Almanac’s report, the full moon period – determined by the moon’s position in its orbit rather than visibility in the sky – began on October 31 at 10:49 a.m. EDT.
October begins with a full moon – one “Harvest Moon“- grows on October 1st. The Harvest Moon is the first full moon following the equinox of September and it usually falls in October every few years, according to NASA.
The blue moon isn’t literally blue, though the name is colorful. In the 1940s, contributors to the astronomical journal Sky and Telescope began to apply the term “Blue Moon” to the so-called “complementary” full moon on a seasonal, and over time, periodic basis. This name is preserved, Sky and Telescope reported in 2006. Like all full moons, the Blue Moon rises in the east at sunset and sets in the west around the sunrise. It is highest in the air late at night and early in the morning, according to NASA.
The term Beaver Moon (also used for the full November moon, according to Farmer’s Almanac), is a traditional name that can be inspired by the bustling seasonal activity of beavers as they prepare for winter. But it could also refer to beaver trapping in the fall before deep freezing winter, NASA said.
On average, the orbit of the moon is about 239,000 miles (385,000 km) from Earth. In a Full Moon Micro, such as this year’s Halloween event, the moon is about 31,000 miles (50,000 km) farther from Earth than it would be in a full-moon transparent sub-point – closest point of the moon to Earth in its orbit, according to NASA.
And the moon is not the only bright cosmic superstar right now. This month’s Skygazers have also been seen as special perspectives of Mars, currently in opposition – when Earth is between Mars and the sun, an event that takes place about every two years. Earth and Mars are also currently closest to each other in their orbits, further enhancing the brightness of Mars in the night sky. The Red Planet was seen all night through October, appearing brightest at midnight, NASA said.
Originally published on Live Science.
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