Moon of blood, blue moon, black moon: how these lunar phenomena are caused and how they are named

Lunar Eclipse 2018: Super Blue Blood Moon has been seen in the skies of several Indian cities, including Delhi, Jaipur, Bhopal, Varanasi and Kolkata. (Photo Express by Praveen Jain)

A rare celestial event will take place on July 27 when the moon will be visible to the naked eye of reddish color. Scientists say it will be the longest lunar eclipse of the century and they called it "blood moon". Reports indicate that the entire event will unfold over a four hour period. Many people are now wondering why we call it the blood moon.

Black moon, blood moon, super moon, blue moon – what's the difference between all these types of moon? In most cases, these names are given according to the position or phase of the moon and the Gregorian calendar.

Blue Moon

The term "Blue Moon" is said to have appeared in the 1940s and began to be used only a few decades ago. This phenomenon has nothing to do with its color. In fact, it looks like any other full moon. A blue moon is the second full moon to occur in a month and sometimes it's the third full moon in a season.

On January 31 of this year, people were in a triple treatment like a blue moon, a supermoon and a complete lunar eclipse – all in one – hypnotized the world. Such a lunar trifecta was a rare phenomenon and had not occurred in more than 150 years.

The Meaning Of "Once In A Blue Moon" has gradually moved from "never" to 'rarely'. (File Photo)

The second blue moon of this year was March 31 – the second and last of this year. Two blue moons in a year seem to contradict the idiom "once in a blue moon" which indicates something rare. In fact, it is quite rare to have two blue moons in a single calendar year. The phenomenon took place for the last time in 1999, on January 31 and March 31. This will not happen again until January 31, 2037.

Once in a blue moon & # 39;

Surely you have heard of the phrase "once in a blue moon". In an article published in 2012 in the magazine Sky and Telescope, Philip Hiscock says that this term has existed for 400 years. He adds that the first use of this term was to say that the moon is made of green cheese, which indicates something absurd.

According to Hiscock, a folklorist at Memorial University of Newfoundland, the meaning has evolved to "never". Later, it turned out that the dust in the air can also turn the moon towards green and blue all over the world, an event that, according to NASA, would have caused the expression "blue moon". Even dust storms and forest fires can cause the blue moon. The meaning of "once in a blue moon" has gradually changed from "never" to "rarely".

READ | Total Lunar Eclipse, Super Blue Blood Moon 2018

Black Moon

The second new moon in a single month is called the "black moon". It is a somewhat unusual celestial event, occurring about once every 32 months. But there will not be much to see. In its "new moon" phase, the moon is still black. A new moon refers to the moment when the moon's side facing the Earth is entirely in the shadow. The Dark or Illuminated Side of the Moon Faces the Earth During a Black Moon

Moon of Blood

The "Moon of Blood" occurs during a total lunar eclipse when the earth passes between the sun and the moon that blocks the sunlight. directly on the moon. The small light from the edges of the Earth's atmosphere illuminated the surface of the moon and made it appear red or reddish-brown. Unlike solar eclipses, there is no need for special equipment to observe lunar eclipses and can be seen with the naked eye.

READ | Blood moon 2018: How to observe the total lunar eclipse of the "longest century"

Moon of blood & # 39; which will take place on July 27th of this year will be the longest. (Image: AP)

This year's blood moon will take place on July 27, which is also called the longest lunar eclipse that will take place in a century. The eclipse will be visible in two parts, the first being a total lunar eclipse, followed by a partial eclipse that will last more than an hour. The phenomenon could take more than four hours to complete its course, according to various reports.

ALSO READ | Total lunar eclipse, super blood moon and blue moon all today: Here's what it means

According to the NASA, lunar eclipse of & # 39; blood moon & # 39; 39; which will be held on July 27 will be the longest and is just four minutes to be the longest lunar eclipse ever to have been seen from Earth.

A Rare Event Called "Super Blue Blood Moon" is seen behind the flags of United States and State of California at Santa Monica Beach, Santa Monica, California, Wednesday, January 31, 2018. This is the first time in 35 years that a blue moon synchronizes with a supermoon and a total lunar eclipse. (Source: AP)

Stargazers in most countries will not be able to see the two eclipses one after the other. However, due to the geographical location of the Indian subcontinent, these two eclipses will be visible to the naked eye.

RELATED REPORT | Blood Moon July 27: Here is a recap of all supermoons of 2018

Supermoon

According to NASA a "supermoon" occurs when the moon is at the point closest to the earth . This point is also called the "perigee". According to Space.com, the perigee for the January supermoon was the closest to this year

The supermoons do not happen every month. (Source: Griffith Observatory / YouTube)

Few people know that the supermoon makes the moon seem 30% brighter and about 14% larger than typical full moons.

Supermoons do not occur every month as the moon's orbit changes direction as the earth revolves around the sun. This means that the full or the new moon will not always occur at its perigee.

What is the Complete Moon of the Wolf?

The Complete Wolf Moon is also known as the Moon Yule and the Snow Moon. According to space.com, it refers to the first full moon in January. This goes back to the early colonial times when wolves howled outside the villages.

For all the latest news from India, download Indian Express App