Blue Moons

CometPhoenix · May 9, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>OK, now I understand. Hopefully readers know what both of us mean. For a minor naming convention (Blue Moon) this has been fun and educational for all of us!That's why we Astronomers get the big bucks! Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV> Whoa whoa whoa, you guys are acually Astronomers?? You guys have no idea how bad I want to be one. It's been my life's dream, but I need to study more. The school I go to now isn't challenging me enough.So, "blue moon" is just a term for the second full moon of a month? If so, then what makes the moon blue? Rare atmospheric distortions?You never explained the acronymns to me. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> What ever happens, happens/Just call me Phoenix </div>

derekmcd · May 10, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Whoa whoa whoa, you guys are acually Astronomers?? You guys have no idea how bad I want to be one. It's been my life's dream, but I need to study more. The school I go to now isn't challenging me enough.So, "blue moon" is just a term for the second full moon of a month? If so, then what makes the moon blue? Rare atmospheric distortions?You never explained the acronymns to me. Posted by CometPhoenix</DIV> MeteorWayne is.  I'll let him explain in what capacity, though.  I, however, am not.  Just your average schlub here. <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-laughing.gif" border="0" alt="Laughing" title="Laughing" /> You are correct about the actual moon appearing to change colors.  I clipped this from the link I provided in my first post."Apparently this phenomenon has been reported by many people all over the world. It is believed that dust in the atmosphere at very high altitudes causes it, and the event in 1950 seen in England may have been produced by an unusually heavy season of forest fires in Canada around the same time. The actual cause may have to do with selective absorption of moonlight by soot particles of the right size, rather than by scattering which accounts for why the sky is blue in the daytime. The term 'blue moon' may indeed have something to do with rare atmospheric conditions perhaps caused by distant forest fires or other 'soot like' particle sources which may be effective in preferentially scattering red light rather than blue light (the normal situation during a sunset)".  and this from same link concerning the naming of "Blue Moon":American folk lore has names for each of the Full Moons seen during the year. A Blue Moon is the name of the second Full Moon that happens in any given month, at least that was what many of us believed until recently. As it turns out, this calendar definition is itself not the one used by people earlier than the 1940's. It was introduced by mistake by an author of Sky and Telescope magazine, and since the 1980's has become the common 'technical' definition. Even many astronomers prefer to use this 'second full moon of the month' definition, otherwise this second full moon goes without any name, unlike the second new moon ( Black Moon, Spinner Moon etc). There is a book, in German, called "Die Welt des Mondes" by R. Oldenbourg published in 1957, which includes an article apparently written by Patrick Moore in 'Guide to the Moon' printed in 1953 by Eyre and Spottiswoode. Steffens remarks that at his institute there are witnesses ( a Professor Isserstedt) who actually saw a Blue Moon in the year 1954. It was BLUE, not bluish or powder blue, but BLUE. Patrick Moore's article described several sightings of Blue Moons in 1944 in America, in 1949 in Queensland, and in England on September 26, 1950. According to Moore who witnessed the 1950 event... And finally, from the wiki link has all the acronyms I was referring to here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coordinated_Universal_Time    <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div> </div> <div>"If something's hard to do, then it's not worth doing." - Homer Simpson</div> </div>

CometPhoenix · May 11, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'> MeteorWayne is.  I'll let him explain in what capacity, though.  I, however, am not.  Just your average schlub here.  You are correct about the actual moon appearing to change colors.  I clipped this from the link I provided in my first post."Apparently this phenomenon has been reported by many people all over the world. It is believed that dust in the atmosphere at very high altitudes causes it, and the event in 1950 seen in England may have been produced by an unusually heavy season of forest fires in Canada around the same time. The actual cause may have to do with selective absorption of moonlight by soot particles of the right size, rather than by scattering which accounts for why the sky is blue in the daytime. The term 'blue moon' may indeed have something to do with rare atmospheric conditions perhaps caused by distant forest fires or other 'soot like' particle sources which may be effective in preferentially scattering red light rather than blue light (the normal situation during a sunset)".  and this from same link concerning the naming of "Blue Moon":American folk lore has names for each of the Full Moons seen during the year. A Blue Moon is the name of the second Full Moon that happens in any given month, at least that was what many of us believed until recently. As it turns out, this calendar definition is itself not the one used by people earlier than the 1940's. It was introduced by mistake by an author of Sky and Telescope magazine, and since the 1980's has become the common 'technical' definition. Even many astronomers prefer to use this 'second full moon of the month' definition, otherwise this second full moon goes without any name, unlike the second new moon ( Black Moon, Spinner Moon etc). There is a book, in German, called "Die Welt des Mondes" by R. Oldenbourg published in 1957, which includes an article apparently written by Patrick Moore in 'Guide to the Moon' printed in 1953 by Eyre and Spottiswoode. Steffens remarks that at his institute there are witnesses ( a Professor Isserstedt) who actually saw a Blue Moon in the year 1954. It was BLUE, not bluish or powder blue, but BLUE. Patrick Moore's article described several sightings of Blue Moons in 1944 in America, in 1949 in Queensland, and in England on September 26, 1950. According to Moore who witnessed the 1950 event... And finally, from the wiki link has all the acronyms I was referring to here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coordinated_Universal_Time   Posted by derekmcd</DIV> Thanks, that's a load off of my mind. UTC's and GMT's is still a little confusing. I'll probably still bother you guys if I don't get it, but it should take a few days to fully understand everything on Wiki. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> What ever happens, happens/Just call me Phoenix </div>

CometPhoenix · May 11, 2008

And to MeteorWayne:What did you have to do to become an astronomer, in terms of College? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> What ever happens, happens/Just call me Phoenix </div>

MeteorWayne · May 12, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>And to MeteorWayne:What did you have to do to become an astronomer, in terms of College? Posted by CometPhoenix</DIV> Let me clear up one thing. I am an astromomer. I am not a professional or degreed one.I am technically an amateur astronomer, but probably qualify as an expert when it comes to meteors.As a result of that curiousity, I have self educated myself in solar system small body dynamics. I am NOT an expert in those fields. Like everything else, I learn more every day; even within my "expert" field.I have never (and would not) claim otherwise.When I know what I am talking about, I'll say so. If I'm 90% sure, I'll say so. If I think the data says it's probable, I'll say so.If it's just my gut, or a WAG (Wild Assed Guess) I'll tell you.If more "professional" astronomers did the same thing when outside their area of expertise, we'd all be better off. Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

CometPhoenix · May 13, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Let me clear up one thing. I am an astromomer. I am not a professional or degreed one.I am technically an amateur astronomer, but probably qualify as an expert when it comes to meteors.As a result of that curiousity, I have self educated myself in solar system small body dynamics. I am NOT an expert in those fields. Like everything else, I learn more every day; even within my "expert" field.I have never (and would not) claim otherwise.When I know what I am talking about, I'll say so. If I'm 90% sure, I'll say so. If I think the data says it's probable, I'll say so.If it's just my gut, or a WAG (Wild Assed Guess) I'll tell you.If more "professional" astronomers did the same thing when outside their area of expertise, we'd all be better off. Wayne Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV> Oh. Well you could've fooled me. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> What ever happens, happens/Just call me Phoenix </div>

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