Rare Halloween 2020 blue moon rises: Here's when to best view it and what it means

Halloween 2020 will be extra 'spooktacular' with a rare blue moon rising in the night skies and it will be visible across the globe on Saturday, Oct. 31. The rarest of the rare full moon will emerge for the first time in 76 years. Here is everything you need to know about it.

What is a blue moon?

According to Earthsky.org, the rare Halloween 2020 blue moon is only blue by its name. It is called so because it is the second full moon occurring in a single calendar month. The name stems from the March 1946 issue of Sky and Telescope magazine which published an article called "Once in a Blue Moon" by James Hugh Pruett.

This year, the first full moon of the single month emerged on Oct. 1 to 2 and was called Harvest Moon. As for the second full moon, it will rise on Saturday, Oct. 31, the night of Halloween. The last time we witnessed the second full moon in one month was in March 2018.

Halloween 2020 blue moon

So what makes it rare and extra special? A full moon on Halloween night is not a common lunar event. In a rare spectacle, the 2020 Halloween will witness a full moon that will be visible to the entire world and not just some parts of it. This will take place for the first time since World War II.

Sky gazers will not only witness the stunning lunar phase, but they will also have the opportunity to observe a bright red object situated close to it. Our neighbouring planet Mars will be at its best view closely located by the moon's side.

More about Halloween full moon

According to NASA, the upcoming full moon is the Hunter's Moon. As per the farmer's almanac, it is known as the hunter's moon because in ancient times this was the best time to go hunting under the full moon's light.

It is also known as a micro blue moon, beaver moon, frosty, or snow moon. The full moon will be celebrated by many cultures as it coincides with multiple special occasions such as Sharad Purnima in India, Thadingyut or Lighting festival in Myanmar, Loi Krathong festival in Thailand, and Halloween in the west. Since this is the full moon that rises when it is farthest from our planet that's why it is called a micro moon.

Halloween 2020 blue moon: When to best view it?

The rare blue moon will rise on the morning of Halloween at 10:49 AM EDT. It will appear bright and full for about three days. As per the NASA blog, one can view the spectacular lunar phase throughout the weekend, beginning from Thursday night to Sunday night. The next such global full moon will rise in 2039.