While New Year’s Eve is always special, this one will be even more so. It’s the night of a blue moon, that once-in-a-while occasion featuring two full moons in one calendar month. The first one was Dec. 2.
Most years have a dozen full moons, one for each month. But since not all months have the same number of days, eventually the lunar calendar comes up with two in one month.
The next blue moon won’t happen until Nov. 21, 2010.
While the phrase, "blue moon," has been around for a long time, it wasn’t until the 1980s that its current meaning became popular, writes folklorist Philip Hiscock in an article on the subject.
The online encyclopedia Wikipedia notes that the first known use of the phrase was in a 1528 pamphlet violently attacking the English clergy. However, historians believe that the pamphlet’s sentence, "If they say the moon is blue, we must believe that it is true.", relates to absurdities and impossibilities, rather than an extra full moon during the month.
Hiscock notes that this led a subsequent meaning of the phrase blue moon. When people said that something would happen "when the moon turned blue," that meant it would never happen.
Then there’s the literal meaning of "blue moon," which occurs when the moon looks bluish. It’s a rare event that can be caused by dust or smoke particles in the air.
Wikipedia notes that, historically, moons were given folk names related to weather and crops. The names varied by location, but this is where the phrase, "harvest moon," applies. In years with an extra moon, the additional moon threw the practice out of whack since it came too early for the next agriculture event. Hence the name, "blue moon," to realign the moon with the proper season.
And some folktales note that the blue moon had a face and talked to those in its light.
Professional astrologer, mythologist and star gazer Kelley Hunter is excited about the blue moon because it comes in conjunction with an eclipse. However, the eclipse is only a partial one that comes during the day, so sky watchers won’t be able to see it.
"But for there to be such a rare event, it’s like a rare tropical flower," Hunter, a St. John resident, said.
According to Hunter, astrologically, the moon is in Cancer and the sun is in Capricorn, a sign that indicates it’s time to shake up the old order of doing things.
"The eclipse is suggesting that we can’t hold on to the past," she said.
The sad state of the economy coupled with an interest in green pursuits, such as recycling and ecology, reflects this, Hunter said. She also said this was a good time to make "promises to yourself."
The U.S. Virgin Islands is home to two restaurants with blue moon in their name. Both plan to capitalize on the rare coincidence of a blue moon and New Year’s Eve.
On St. Thomas, Blue Moon Café at Secret Harbour Beach Resort will have Andrew Douglas playing steel pan. Manager Kristen Ladue said that the restaurant will feature some specials along with its regular menu.
Meanwhile, at the Blue Moon Restaurant in Frederiksted, owner Allan Cotter said the St. Croix eatery will hold a blue moon party featuring the Elvis Perdo jazz quartet. The menu features oysters, scallops and snapper flown in from New Orleans, as well as fresh Maine lobster.
"We’re going to bring in the new year the right way," Cotter said.
