Easter 2018 Welcomed by Blue Moon: 'Paschal Moon' Appears on Auspicious Easter Eve
This is also the first full moon of Spring and as such it’s designated as the Paschal Moon. The first Sunday after the Paschal Moon is celebrated as Easter Sunday.
The full moon shows up for a second time in March on 31st. When two full moons appear in one month, which happens about once every 2.7 years, the second is christened the ‘Blue Moon’. This is the second Blue Moon since the beginning of the year – the second time in three months that two full moons have occurred in a calendar month. The reason behind this anomaly is that February is the only calendar month that is shorter than synodic (length of time for the moon to cycle from one full moon to the next) month. And this year, February did not have a full moon. So, to make up for this lack, March ended up with an extra full moon.
The March Blue Moon will also have something unusual associated with it, it will be a Paschal Moon. This is also the first full moon of Spring and as such it’s designated as the Paschal Moon. The first Sunday after the Paschal Moon is celebrated as Easter Sunday, as it is the case this year. Easter Sunday falls on April 1. The Blue Moon is also nicknamed as a ‘Sap Moon’ by Native American tribes as it marks the time when maple sap begins to flow, and annual tapping of maple trees begins. The rare celestial event will be the last one until 2020. To experience two blue moons in one year is quite a rare occurrence and hasn’t happened since 1999.
The January Blue Moon was touted as rare because it passed directly through Earth’s shadow, producing a total lunar eclipse. The last time such a circumstance occurred over North America was back in 1866 – 152 years ago. Thanks to the atmospheric refraction, the moon morphed into a lovely coppery red colour during the total phase, giving it the ‘Blue Moon’ moniker. There are also many superstitions that surround the blue moon. Some claim that a full moon can drive people mad, whereas others claim that it can make women more fertile. However, there is no scientific evidence to back up these claims. Check Easter 2018 Quotes: GIF Images, Greetings, WhatsApp Messages, Facebook Status & SMSes To Wish A Happy Easter
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 01, 2018 06:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).