The Truth About Blue Moons. by Heidi K.

I have an infatuation with Blue Moons. Maybe it is the words themselves or perhaps the meaning behind it. I just know that I find the concept of a Blue Moon to be many things. Romantic is one.

When I designed my site that would house my writing and also resources I found for writers online I settled on the name of Blue Moon. Why? It just seemed fitting. I am a romantic at heart and I love the night especially when the moon is full...

I have done a little research into Blue Moons since creating that site and found there is a older definition of a blue moon, perhaps a more correct one.

A literal Blue Moon occurred only three times that I have been able to find out. 1883, 1927 and 1951.

The first was caused by the Indonesian volcano Krakatoa exploding in 1883. The dust from this turned the sunsets green and the moon blue for about two years.

I would loved to have seen this. I can only imagine that it must have been a beautiful sight amid all the devastation. The combination of the two extremes must have been something.

In 1927 the blue moon was caused by a monsoon in India. Again we have a devastating natural occurence that was followed up by something I would imagine is incredibly beautiful. I have not ever seen a moon that was actually blue.

I think were I ever to see a moon that was blue I would stand in awe of it. There would be precious little that could take my eyes from it. I would hope to have someone there with me I loved to share in the joy.

The last in 1951 was caused by a forest fire's smoke particles. Here again we have a disaster that causes a scene of incredible beauty to float in the night sky.

It is often played out in life that disaster can often lead to beauty. Even the act of a forest fire in itself. It may seem bad at first but in the end gives renewed life to the forest that it destroyed.

Today a blue moon is simply referred to as a full moon which appears twice in any given month. However thinking of it this way causes the phrase "Once in a blue moon" to have little meaning.

It is not rare at all to see two full moons in one month. The phrase "Once in a blue moon" means a rare occurrence. In 1999 there was even two blue moons. Looking at the current definition of a blue moon causes the saying "Once in a blue moon." to lose its intended meaning.

Based on this I have chosen to keep the older meaning of a blue moon and not use it to refer to having two full moons in a month. Now that I have learned more about the origin of the term "blue moon" I find it holds more enchantment for me and not less like I had first expected.

The blue moon has also been the subject of many writings and most of those have been romantic. Perhaps that is why I see it as being romantic.

Shakespeare made the first reference to a blue moon in Rede Me and Be Not Wroth in 1528:

Yf they say the mone is blewe
We must believe that it is true.

I have to wonder sometimes about the things my mind grabs hold of and wants to run with. *smile*

Prose-n-Poetry.com

The Truth About Blue Moons.
by Heidi K.
copyright 06-20-2001

Age Rating: 18 to 127

Prose-n-Poetry.com

The Truth About Blue Moons. by Heidi K. copyright 06-20-2001 Age Rating: 18 to 127

The Truth About Blue Moons.
by Heidi K.
copyright 06-20-2001

Age Rating: 18 to 127