Full Blue Moon falls on Halloween

It’s no secret, this year’s Halloween will look a little different due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, All Hollow’s Eve will be giving us a very rare and spooky extravaganza to end the month. This year, October 31 brings a Halloween Blue Moon. This full moon gets its name because it is the second full moon of the month, following the harvest moon of October 1.

While many may think, from the name itself, we will see a blue-tinted moon in the sky. The name actually has to do with the time the full moon occurs, rather than its actual appearance. Each lunar cycle is 29 days long. So, full moons do occur every month. Since the majority of the months are longer than 29 days; there is a chance two full moons can happen in the same calendar month, when we are lucky enough to see that the full moon is deemed a Blue Moon.

Why is this particular full moon so special? A full moon occurring on Halloween, is a rare sighting. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, this occurrence only happens once every 18 to 19 years. What makes this Halloween Blue Moon in 2020 even more special, is that it will be visible all over the world. This is the first time the entire world will be able to see a full moon all at once, since world war 2, in the year 1944. So, whether you are doing a coronavirus equivalent of trick or treating, or staying in to watch scary movies; make sure you don’t miss a glimpse of this stunning Blue Moon. The next global full moon on Halloween won’t happen until 2039.