Samhain is an important celebration in the Pagan & Wiccan calendar. This year though it is a little bit more special than normal.
The 31st of October 2020 sees the second full moon of the month which makes it a blue moon. This doesn’t have anything at all to do with the colour of the moon, it will look exactly the same as it usually does.
The blue moon occurs because the time it takes for the full twelve moon cycle is around eleven days shorter than the earth’s orbit of the sun. They occur around 2.5 years apart.
There are roughly 29.5 days between full moons, making it unusual for two full moons to fit into a standard month with 30 or 31 days.
The last blue moon was the 31st of March 2018 and the next will be the 31st August 2023. End of the astronomy lesson.
The name Hunter’s Moon is traditionally given to the first full moon after the Harvest Moon, this year’s Harvest Moon was the 1st October. It is said that the name was given as this time of the year is when both animals and people begin to stock up on food ready for the long winter ahead.
Finally – the mini moon part. We all know about super moons, the moon appears so large and bright as it’s nearer the earth, well the mini moon is the opposite. The full moon on the 31st of October will be the smallest moon of this year as it’s slightly further away so it will appear smaller and dimmer.
