Halloween may be different this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it will have a really scary spectacle that will appear in the sky: a rare second full moon of October, the famous blue moon.
The full moon that will be visible on October 31 is called the blue moon because it is the second full moon of the same month. This Halloween will be different as the full moon will be visible all over the world, and not just in parts, for the first time since World War II.
"When I was teaching, my students at school thought there was a full moon every Halloween," said astronomy teacher and former planetary director Jeffrey Hunt. The last full moon visible to the world was made in 1944, he said. Also in 1955 there was a full moon that was visible in some parts of the world, but that did not include western North America, says Hunt.
While this year's full moon will be visible in all its parts planet, this does not mean that every citizen will be able to see it. Residents of both North America and South America will see it, as will Africa, entire Europe and most of Asia. But in Australia those who live in the west will see it but those who live in the center and east will not be so lucky.
Do you want to see the full moon of the blue moon? It will be so bright in its complete phase that it does not matter where you are because it will look very clear.
Do not be surprised, however, if you take a photo of the moon with your phone and the photo has nothing to do with what you just saw which will definitely be magical.
If you are busy doing something else, you will have to wait until 2039 for the next global full moon so it might be worth a try to see it this year.
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