2006-09-01 23:58:28 · 41 answers · asked by Babu Bhai 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Quotations
The term " Blue Moon" refers to an event where in the Earth experiences a second full moon in a single calendar month, this event occurs rarely ( and almost never in the month of February) So saying that something comes along every blue Moon means that the events are a long time separated
2006-09-02 03:42:43 · answer #1 · answered by artistformerlyknownasloader 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first reference to a blue moon comes from a proverb recorded in 1528:
If they say the moon is blue,
We must believe that it is true.
According to Borgna Brunner and Anne Marie Imbornoni in an article on the blue moon:
In the 19th century, the phrase until a blue moon developed, meaning "never." The phrase, once in a blue moon today has come to mean "every now and then" or "rarely"—whether it gained that meaning through association with the lunar event remains uncertain.
2006-09-03 23:20:40 · answer #2 · answered by VelvetRose 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would have said that it was a second new moon in a month, but since so many have already cited the full moon, perhaps I am wrong! The full moon is obviously very bright, but the new moon is dark. Lends itself a bit more to the blue bit - but regardless of that, the question has been answered by the fact that it is two moons of the same type occurring in the same calendar month - so rare occurrence indeed!
2006-09-02 00:21:02 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When there are 2 full moons in one month the 2nd one is considered a blue moon, hence the saying once in a blue moon because it rarely happens.
2006-09-04 10:07:13 · answer #4 · answered by flower wanda 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There ARE occasions when atmospheric conditions occur that cause the moon to appear with a bluish tinge. As this happens very rarely, the phrase 'once in a blue moon' has come to be associated with something which rarely happens
2006-09-02 00:07:09 · answer #5 · answered by Dover Soles 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
"Once in a blue moon" means that something or other doesn't happen often. The phrase comes from the infrequent occurence of any single month having two full moons which are called "blue moons."
2006-09-02 00:06:29 · answer #6 · answered by Chug-a-Lug 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This phrase means that something doesn't happen very often. Literally, a "blue moon" is when there are two full moons in the same month, something that doesn't happen a lot.
2006-09-03 08:25:42 · answer #7 · answered by GERMANY EURO CHAMPS 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A blue moon is the second full moon in a calendar month
2006-09-02 00:07:06 · answer #8 · answered by waycyber 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A Blue Moon occurs when you get two full moons in one calendar month,so really it just means that it is very rare !
2006-09-02 00:06:28 · answer #9 · answered by any 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
a "blue moon" is a second full moon in the same month, which is a very rare occurrence, so the expression means "very rarely"
2006-09-02 16:10:37 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋