Blue Moon and how we see it

On 31 March we are witnessing Blue Moon. You might have encounter with term Blue Moon in news media. In media, news usually appear with Blue color moon picture and says 'this month we are going to see blue moon'. Many people wonders  how moon will be in blue color? it must be a great sight in sky seeing blue color moon. But, Blue moon is nothing to do with color. It is a name of moon which occurs as a extra full moon in a month or in a astronomical season.

Blue moon is not actualy blue in color

In every cultures moon has different names. In India too have different names according to seasons and festivals. In western culture, they also given name to full moon according to seasons. Like, October month moon is called as Hunters Moon because peoples who lives at northern hemisphere start collecting food and meat for coming winter. December moon is called as cold moon and March moon is called as worm moon. These names are not uniformly used in entire western culture. These also change from tribe to tribe or culture to culture. 

Every culture or tribe made their own calender based on sun or moon to maintain their yearly activities. Every season like spring, summer, fall and winter usually see three full moons. These seasons happens due to sun motion in Earth's sky. Sun takes 365.24 days to complete one cycle in Earth's sky which we called a year. (Earth move around the sun in space and from earth we see sun is moving in sky. Its a relative motion we observe.). But, to complete one cycle in sky moon takes 29.5 days. When sun colpletes its one cycle in 365.24 days, by the time moon complets 12.37 cycles. So, each calender year get around 11 extra days from moon cycle. Due to accumulation of these days from lunar cycle we see extra full moon in a season after two or two and half calendar year. This extra full moon is called as Blue moon. Indian calender make adjustment in calendar to stay with seasons by inserting Adhik Maas after two and half year. (Incorporating extra moon cycle vary with different calendars.)

Another way to describe Blue moon is, a second full moon in same calendar month. This calendar year 2018 has two Blue moon month one was January and second is March. This is rare, next calendar year with two Blue moon will be 2037. But, sinlge Blue moon month happenes every two and half year. Next, Blue moon will appear in Octber 2020. 

Astronomical events and news media

When people hear or read about blue moon, they usually think that moon will appear in blue color. Because, the way news media present this event. In age of Information and technology news media has become most unscientific mode of information. Many times not enough research happens aroud topic and to just grab attention of public, news are presented in dramatic way which leads to misconception. News Media also wrongly present other natural or astronomical events like eclipses, appearance of comets or when mars comes near to earth in its orbit. For example, news about eclipse will show less about science behind it and more about effect of eclipse on someones zodiac signs and how it will doom person's fate. This leads people and society towards superstions. I think every time nature gives us opportunity to become more rational and logical, we misuse it and becomes more irrational. News media has played very important role for social awareness time to time. Now, in this time it is very much required a role of scientific and rational media to create scientific attitude in society. 

Total Lunar Eclipse of 31 January 2018

Hi, everyone this is long time I have written anything on my blog. I have been doing my astronomy activities but did not shared them on this blog. Today i am going to share our some experiences and photographs of total Lunar eclipse of 31st January 2018. The special thing about this lunar eclipse was it was on Blue moon means it was second full moon in the same month. This Lunar eclipse was visible from the all of Asia. From India we could not see the first half of the eclipse. When moon rose in our horizon it was almost began the totality of eclipse.

Many people do not find Lunar eclipse exciting as solar eclipse. There might be many reasons like time duration. Lunar eclipse runs for longer than solar eclipse. Solar eclipse produce far more marvelous views than Lunar eclipse. But, I think lunar eclipse is impressive by its own way. It also produce fantastic views, mine favorite is traveling of Earths shadow over lunar landscape. if we observe it through telescope it definitely make you excited. In total lunar eclipse moon never disappeared like sun does in solar eclipse. In fact moon become red in color when it goes to total phase.

        Moon was in total phase when rose in sky

When earth comes in between sun and moon, suns light do not get cut entirely. But due to to earth's atmosphere which stands almost 60 kilometer high turns some of the sun light towards moon. This redness is different in different eclipses. It also depend on the dust particle activities in atmosphere. If dust particle get more in atmosphere then moon color turns more deep red.

 

Earth's shadow shape can be seen here

                                          Last touch of earth's shadow:The eclipse getting over

We arranged event for observing this lunar eclipse with some government teachers and some community members also came. it was nice to have interaction with them. teachers showed full interest in this event. First time they were looking eclipse through telescope. However, we noticed that some of the community members hesitate to watch lunar eclipse. They might have thought that this can bring bad omen to them. We had discussion with them that there is no such thing like bad omen. But for grown ups its very hard to leave their notions.
Before, this eclipse we went to some schools in rural areas and discuss about eclipse with students over there. Students were more curious to know about such things. In my own experience I believe that young students can help us to work towards such myths rooted in society. They are open towards learning. they asks questions to at least their parents and relatives and make them to watch such events which people thinks bad.
Anyway, such events like eclipse gives us opportunity to go in common people and talks about the scientific thinking and rational against traditional thinking of religions and myths. It also help us to make dialogue on such issues and make people aware against false beliefs.