The second full moon of July rose Friday night, a phenomenon referred to as a “blue moon.”
Though the phrase “once in a blue moon” is meant to describe a rare event, a blue moon is neither rare, or blue. “Blue moon” is actually a term used to describe the second full moon in a single calendar month. Most years only have 12 moons, but this year has 13, which happens every two to three years, according to astronomers. “Blue moons” don’t actually appear blue, but the moon can appear blue after events on earth like wildfires and volcanic eruptions, according to NASA.
PHOTOS: 20 Breathtaking Images of Earth From Space
Aleppo, Syria, May 26, 2013 – The Citadel of Aleppo – medieval fortified palace
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Belfast, Northern Ireland, Nov. 3, 2013 – “Wish,” a large-scale art work
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Utah, USA, April 22, 2013 – Colorado River
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Cuanza River, Angola, April 28, 2013 – Cambambe Dam
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Doha, Qatar, March 4, 2013 – Artificial island spanning nearly four million sq meters.
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Dunalley, Australia, Jan. 6, 2013 – fires, false color image (red = healthy vegetation)
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Australia, April 22, 2013 – Great Barrier Reef
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Gwadar coast, Pakistan Sept. 29, 2013 – new island created by earthquake in Pakistan
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Croatia, Feb. 16, 2013 – Galešnjak (Island of Love)
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Hong Kong, China May 9, 2013 – giant rubber duck
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Madang Province, Papua New Guinea, March 22, 2013 – Manam Volcano
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Namib Desert, Namibia, May 13, 2013 – Sossusvlie area
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Naples, Italy, Feb. 19 2013 – Mount Vesuvius
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Niger, Feb. 13, 2013 – Arlit Uranium Mine
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Schooner Cays, Bahamas, May 26, 2013
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Sochi, Russia, March 17, 2013 – Site of 2014 winter Olympics
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Near the city of Sur, Oman, Feb. 13, 2013 – massive “green tide”
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Valencia, Spain, July 19, 2013 – Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia and Gulliver Park with an enormous fiberglass model of Lemuel Gulliver trapped
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Versailles, France, Aug. 20, 2013 – Palace of Versailles
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Xi'an, China, Sept. 24, 2013 – Shiyuan Park
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