Blue Moon Phenomenon Captures Global Attention as Rare Lunar Event Illuminates Night Sky
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – On Wednesday evening, a rare blue moon event captivated skywatchers worldwide when the second full moon of the calendar month rose over major cities across the Northern Hemisphere. According to NASA, this astronomical occurrence, which refers to the extra full moon in a season or calendar month, will not recur until 2026. Astronomers from the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles confirmed that the moon appeared brighter and slightly larger due to its orbital proximity to Earth, though its color remained predominantly white and not blue. Why this phenomenon draws widespread fascination stems from its infrequency, with only two to three blue moons occurring every decade. How can the public observe it? Experts advise finding a dark location away from city lights between sunset and midnight, using binoculars for enhanced viewing. What does this mean for science? Researchers noted it provides an opportunity to study lunar surface reflectivity. The event triggered social media trends under #BlueMoon2025, with millions sharing photographs from Tokyo to New York.