10/29/2020
2020 has been a unique year and Halloween will be "Once in a Blue Moon"!
This Saturday, October 31, 2020 will have a unique moon – a blue moon, hunter’s moon, and the first full moon on Halloween in 76 years.
According to NASA Earth and the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the last time a full moon fell on Halloween was in 1944. A full Moon on Halloween occurs roughly once every 19 years. The next time a full moon falls on Halloween isn’t expected until 2039, NASA said.
The rare Halloween full moon will also be a hunter’s moon, which is the first full moon to follow the harvest moon. The term harvest moon, which occurred on October 1, refers to the full, bright moon that occurs closest to the autumn equinox.
A blue moon is when two full moons fall within the same month. When you look at the full moon on Halloween night it won’t appear blue in color, but you’ll be looking at something very uncommon. Saturday’s blue moon will peak at 10:49 a.m. Eastern Time, but will look full the night before and the night after.
These rare lunar events shining over North America on Halloween are just before Daylight Saving Time ends for many jurisdictions in the U.S. and Canada. Halloween 2020 occupies a near-perfect spot on the calendar this year, as it falls on a Saturday with a full moon at night, followed by an extra hour of sleep for many in the morning. Enjoy!