August's blue moon

A blue moon is the second full moon in a month, something that doesn't often occur, and there was one at the end of August. This moon was in the sky the evening of the 30th August but it was cloudy so I didn't actually see it. The next evening was clear so I took some photos. The image above is a crop. The full image is below. The photo was taken with the Sony a6700 camera and Sony 70-350mm lens. 

Why blue moon? Curious, I tried to find out and failed. Apparently the first reference is in an early 20th century American farmer's almanac but why it was called blue no-one seems to know.

Most years there is one moon a month. However the full cycle of moon phases takes 29.5 days so 12 cycles takes 354 days, 11 less than the 365 (12 and 366 in a leap year) in a calendar year. Every two or three years the difference is balanced by a 13 full moon year with two full moons in one month.

Watching this moon I was thinking that on the far side a rover from India is exploring the surface. I still find space exploration astonishing and fascinating. I remember watching the first moon landings. It was just amazing that human beings could do this.

I also wonder why, with such ability and expertise, we aren't solving the problems here on earth, why climate change and environmental degradation are increasing and doing so much damage.

Moonlight & Snow

Halo round the moon as the clouds thicken

A gloriously bright moon with a bright Jupiter close by lured me outside on this calm frosty night. Twenty minutes before midnight and the temperatures was -3C and the sky mostly unclouded, though thick bands covered the hilltops. The moon, one day after full, was sharp and clear and Jupiter was equally brilliant. There were few stars visible anywhere in the sky such was the brightness of the moon. A light covering of fresh snow reflected the moonlight and there was no need of a torch. This was just intended to be a quick venture to see the moon and Jupiter in conjunction so I was soon back indoors. The beauty of the night distracted me though and I quickly realised I needed to see it again, more suitably clad this time.

The moon and Jupiter in conjunction, February 24.

By the time I was back outside thin clouds were starting to drift across the sky, softening the moonlight and at times obscuring Jupiter. A colourful halo appeared around the moon. Away from its light more stars appeared with Orion just starting to sink below the horizon. I stood and gazed and gazed.

Away from the moon, a few stars