A Rare Halloween Blue Moon
A Rare Halloween Blue Moon was seen on Saturday, October 31, 2020
No, it didn’t actually look blue. But, as the second full Moon after the “Harvest Moon” on October 1, 2020, the “Hunter’s Moon” was also a “Blue Moon” because, well, it only happens once in a blue moon. And this year, the event fell right on Halloween – my birthday. How cool is that?
As a bonus, the rise of the “Halloween Hunter’s Blue Moon” also signified the middle of the current season of fall/autumn. We’re already halfway to the winter solstice wanderers – Can I hear a great big ‘Yes Please!‘
There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls.
Halloween Hunter’s Blue Moon
76 Years Ago
Usually, a full Moon occurring on Halloween happens only every 18 to 19 years and is only visible across just part of the Northern Hemisphere. The last time this occurred across all-time zones was on Halloween day, October 31, 1944.
This full Moon was visible for about three days, from Friday night through Sunday night, making this weekend a full-Moon weekend!
What Is A Blue Moon?
The Harvest Moon is the first Full Moon following the autumn equinox, which happened this year on October 1. A Full moon needs about 29.5 days to complete one cycle of phases from new Moon to new Moon, so when a full moon happens on the first of a month, we will observe a second full Moon at the end of the month (except for the shortest month, February). For example, the last Full Moon in a single calendar month was on March 31, 2018.
The Harvest Moon isn't like the other Moons
Why Is It Called The "Harvest Moon?"
Here is an excellent description by Almanac.com:
“For several evenings, the Moonrise comes soon after sunset. This results in an abundance of bright moonlight early in the evening, which was a traditional aide to farmers and crews harvesting their summer-grown crops. Hence, it’s called the “Harvest” Moon!
There are just a little over 12 complete Moon cycles every year, on average (there being about 29.53 days in a synodic month). The Harvest Moon isn’t like the other Moons.
Usually, throughout the year, the Moon rises an average of about 50 minutes later each day. But for the few nights around the Harvest Moon, the Moon seems to rise at nearly the same time: just 25 to 30 minutes later across the northern USA, and only 10 to 20 minutes later farther north in Canada and Europe.
Additionally, the Full Harvest Moon rises at sunset and then will rise very near sunset for several nights in a row because the difference is at a yearly minimum. It may almost seem as if there are full Moons multiple nights in a row!”
My Favorite Lighthouse
Photographing The Blue Moon
I chose to spend my birthday photographing the Halloween Hunter’s Blue Moon at Port Washington, Wisconsin. Lucky for me, it was visible for the whole weekend because the 30th was the only day without cloud cover in that area.
The Full Moon can be hard to photograph. Here are some tips for taking photos of the next Blue or Full Moon.
Use a camera with a zoom lens on a tripod. Photographers often use long, zoom lenses of 400 to 1000 mm focal length when photographing moon phases, the full Moon, or an eclipse. I used a 300 mm lens to make these images mainly because I wanted to have other objects, like the lighthouse, portrayed as the subject.
Typically, using manual exposure settings produce the best results. If you just want to shoot the Moon, set your ISO sensitivity to 100 to 200 for the least amount of noise. The aperture should be set to f/11 or higher for the largest focal area.
Then, use the shutter speed starting at 1/60th to 1/125th of a second till you get the image you like. Adjust up and down a bit if needed, according to the brightness of the Moon. And the focus… manually set the lens focus to infinity, then have fun making your shots.
Some Songs with Blue Moons
Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart’s Blue Moon, 1934, (popularized by Elvis Presley)
Bill Monroe, Blue Moon of Kentucky, 1944.
Wiley Walker and Gene Sullivan’s When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again, sung by Eddy Arnold (among others)
Roseanne Cash, Blue Moon with Heartache, 1982
Nanci Griffith, Once in a Very Blue Moon, 1984
Toby Keith, Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine on You? 1987
Whiskey Rose, Blue Moon Over Heaven, 1998
Who's With Me?
The Next Blue Moon
The next time I have the honor of sharing my birthday with a Blue Moon will be 2039. On this occasion, the plan is to be somewhere warm, sipping a margarita with my toes in the sand! Who’s with me??
BREATHE. LISTEN. ACT.
Listen and allow your inner compass to guide you in beautiful, new directions. Find a renewed enthusiasm for life by taking time to wander.
Then, be inspired to discover everything life is offering and take time to wonder.
Share this post
I am an influencer of optimism, positivity & love. My mantra is, “Be where my feet are,” nothing more, nothing less. It means living in the moment with curiosity, creativity, courage & compassion. You’ll find resources and stories primarily about subjects like travel, van living, exploring, yoga, and photography on these pages. By acting on my dreams and sharing my experiences, I hope you’ll be inspired to say YES, and live your happiest, best life. |
Follow along! Kirsti Out Wandering aspires to illustrate well-being in mind, body & spirit, giving unconditional love to self and others, and pursuing all of the wild possibilities life serves up while living full-time from a sprinter van.
She offers weekly inspiration and a monthly roundup filled with stories and tips on travel, exploring, van living, self-care, photography and being human.