Archive - Wednesday, 28 November 2001


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Two full moons

A RARE astrological event, which gives rise to one of the most common expressions in the English language, takes place at the end of this week.

Friday, November 30 will see the second full moon this month, the first having been on November 1.

Amateur astronomer Peter Smith, of Amberley, explained that each synodic period (the period between one full moon and the next) is 29 and a half days.

With a maximum of 31 days in any one month to have two full moons in the same month is a rare phenomenon and only occurs every few years - hence the expression, "Once in a blue moon."

Mr Smith said that another type of blue moon is that viewed through volcanic dust in the upper atmosphere, which causes the moon to appear bluish.