May Astronomy

There are two types of Blue Moon and neither has anything to do with color.  Ordinarily a Blue Moon is a second full moon that appears in a calendar month. The 1937 edition of the now defunct Maine Farmers' Almanac (not to be confused with The Old Farmers Almanac) explained in their calendar that a Blue Moon occurs when one of the four seasons contains four full moons instead of the usual three.  The August 21, 1937 moon was the third of four full moons that summer when for no apparent reason it was reported as a Blue Moon.  Ever since, a seasonal blue moon refers to the third full moon in a season that has four full moons.

Anyway, at sunset this evening the second full moon of the month will rise in the east very close to the bright red star, Antares; the brightest of stars in the constellation Scorpius.  It will appear full both tonight and officially tomorrow.

Because it is the second of three consecutive smallest of 2026 full moons it is also what is called a micromoon.  This moon is 252,360 miles (406,135 kilometers) distant.  Ordinarily, the average distance is 238,900 miles (384,472 kilometers) distant.

Fingers-crossed for clear night skies tonight and tomorrow.