Once in a Blue Moon? Now what does that mean?

Answer 1

Not very often. I love that saying, don't know why, but I do. =]

Answer 2

A blue moon is the second full moon in a month.
This happens very seldom.
Once in a blue moon means seldom.

As to why it is called blue, read this from the Farmers' Almanac:

What is a Blue Moon?

For more than half a century, whenever two full Moons appeared in a single month (which happens on average every 2 1/2 to 3 years), the second has been christened a "Blue Moon." In our lexicon, we describe an unusual event as happening "Once in a Blue Moon." This expression was first noted back in 1821 and refers to occurrences that are uncommon, though not truly rare.

On past occasions, usually after vast forest fires or major volcanic eruptions, the Moon has reportedly taken on a bluish or lavender hue. Soot and ash particles, propelled high into the Earth's atmosphere, can sometimes make the Moon appear bluish.

Why "Blue" Moon? For the longest time nobody knew exactly why the second full Moon of a calendar month was designated as a Blue Moon. One explanation connects it with the word "belewe" from the Old English, meaning, "to betray." Perhaps, then, the Moon was "belewe" because it betrayed the usual perception of one full Moon per month. However, in the March 1999 issue of Sky & Telescope magazine, author Phillip Hiscock revealed one somewhat confusing origin of this term. It seems that the modern custom of naming the second full Moon of a month "blue," came from an article published in the March 1946 Sky & Telescope magazine. The article was "Once in a Blue Moon," written by James Hugh Pruett. In this article, Pruett interpreted what he read in a publication known as the Maine Farmers' Almanac (no relation to this Farmers' Almanac, published in Lewiston, Maine), and declared that a second full Moon in a calendar month is a "Blue Moon."

However, after reviewing the Maine Farmer's Almanac, Hiscock found that during the editorship of Henry Porter Trefethen (1932 to 1957), the Maine Farmers' Almanac made occasional reference to a Blue Moon, but derived it from a completely different (and rather convoluted) seasonal rule. As simply as can be described, according to Trefethen's almanac, there are normally three full Moons for each season of the year. But when a particular season ends up containing four full Moons, then the third of that season is called a Blue Moon! To make matters more confusing, the beginning of the seasons listed in Trefethen's almanac were fixed. A fictitious or dynamical mean Sun produced four seasons of equal length with dates which differed slightly from more conventional calculations. So, basically the current use of "Blue Moon" to mean the second full Moon in a month can be traced to a 55-year-old mistake in Sky & Telescope magazine.

Answer 3

It means only rarely. The reason is that on the odd occasion the full moon comes twice in the same month. This is called a blue moon. So Once in a blue moon means only rarely. I hope that has solved the problem for you. Can I come to your place for dinner the next time it happens?

Answer 4

A blue moon is the second full moon in the same month. I does not happen very often so. once in a blue moon means not very often.

Answer 5

it means not every often. this goes with the saying of "once in a blue moon"
in literal terms it means of the second moon that happens in 1 month. This doesnt normally happen.

Answer 6

a blue moon is when their is a full moon twice in the same month it is very rare and happens once or twice a year!!! so when people say "once in a blue moon" they mean it happens very rarely.

Ex. Hey Tom, do you ever play the lottery?
Tom: Once in a blue moon...

Hope that helps

Answer 7

a blue moon is the second full moon to occur within a single month. It doesn't happen very often, hence the meaning provided by others.

Answer 8

Occasionally there will be two full moons in the same month. The second full moon is called the "Blue Moon."

Answer 9

According to the popular definition, it is the second Full Moon to occur in a single calendar month.

It has been extended to mean anything that does not happen very often.

Love and blessings Don

Answer 10

a blue moon is a full moon that cames twice in one month. it doesn't happen all that often. so it means something that happens but, is not a regular occurence.

Answer 11

It means that it is rare, like a blue moon (like we had this month).