The moon (and sun) can appear blue (or green) due to dust particles in the
atmosphere following large volcanic explosions. Smoke from forest fires can
produce a similar effect. Smoke from forest fires in Canada can reach Europe.
One such fire in September 1950 produced smoke that caused blue moons to be
seen in Europe. Tony, how old are you? Could this have been your event?
-- Richard Langley
Professor of Geodesy and Precision Navigation
P.S. Source of info: The Stars Belong to Everyone by Prof. Helen Sawyer Hogg
(a famous and much-loved Canadian astronomer (she passed away in 1993 at age
87).
On Sat, 30 Jan 1999, Tony Moss wrote:
>Fellow Shadow Watchers,
>
>As a child I remember running into the house to say that the full moon
>looked blue in colour. Everyone laughed although nobody went outside to
>look for themselves. As I recall this was confirmed as a rare occurrence
>on the radio the following day much to my parents' surprise. Ever since
>then I've assumed that this was the origin of the saying 'once in a blue
>moon'.
>
>On TV yesterday I heard that we are about to witness a 'blue moon',
>explained as the rare occurrence of two full moons within one calendar
>month - nothing to do with colour at all.
>
>Was my experience just a childhood fantasy?
>
>Tony Moss
>
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Richard B. Langley E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Geodetic Research Laboratory Web: http://www.unb.ca/GGE/
Dept. of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering Phone: +1 506 453-5142
University of New Brunswick Fax: +1 506 453-4943
Fredericton, N.B., Canada E3B 5A3
Fredericton? Where's that? See: http://www.city.fredericton.nb.ca/
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