What is a ‘Blue Moon?’
The moon can sometimes appear reddish especially during eclipses. But what we call a "Blue Moon" has nothing to do with its color.
There are actually two different types of “Blue Moon.”
1. Monthly “Blue Moon”
The second full Moon in a calendar month that contains two full Moons.
2. Seasonal “Blue Moon”
The third full Moon in a season (the period between an equinox and a solstice, or vice versa) that contains four full Moons. This is the original scientific definition.
The August 22 full moon will be considered a Seasonal Blue Moon. In this case, it will be the third full moon of summer.
The moon can actually appear blue under certain circumstances, such as when ash is present in the atmosphere from fires or volcanic eruptions.
But blue-colored moons in photos – like this one are usually made using filters or in a post-processing program such as Photoshop. Usually … but not always.
Sources:
https://www.space.com/16776-blue-moon-explained-infographic.html
https://earthsky.or
