I wrote a blog one time (yesterday), and I used the phrase “once in a blue moon.” I’ve said it. You’ve said it. We’ve all said it. But what exactly is a blue moon? I decided to learn more about blue moons and other types of moons.

Before I get into blue moons and supermoons and blood moons, let’s start with the basics. For those of you (me) that don’t remember elementary school science there are eight phases of the moon.

According to Royal Museums Greenwich, the eight phases of the Moon in order are:

• new Moon
• waxing crescent Moon
• first quarter Moon
• waxing gibbous Moon
• full Moon
• waning gibbous Moon
• last quarter Moon
• waning crescent Moon

One, two, three, four…yep, that’s eight. Also according to the fine folks at RMG, typically there is one full moon a month, and those all have nicknames.

• January – Wolf Moon
• February – Snow Moon
• March – Worm Moon
• April – Pink Moon
• May – Flower Moon
• June – Strawberry Moon
• July – Buck Moon
• August – Sturgeon Moon
• September – Full Corn Moon
• October – Hunter’s Moon
• November – Beaver Moon
• December – Cold Moon

You’ll find some variations on these depending on where you look. For example, I prefer “Harvest Moon” as opposed to “Full Corn Moon.” However, I thought it was important to go with this list because of the use of “Worm Moon.”

Ok, that’s enough of the boring stuff. Let’s take a look at some of the more notable and exciting moons.

Blue Moon

I figured I should start with this guy, because obviously. Fun fact about a Blue Moon; that’s not actually what they look like. It’s far more interesting than reality though. A Blue Moon is when you have a second full moon in one month. It’s relatively rare. That’s probably where the saying “once in a blue moon comes from.” Who knew? Unbeknownst to me, we have one of those coming up on Halloween. Sounds like a great day to rent out a movie theater and watch a holiday classic.

Black Moon

A new moon is when the moon is between Earth and Sun. Essentially it’s not lit up. When this happens twice in a month, it’s a Black Moon. So basically, the opposite of a Blue Moon.

Blood Moon

Now a Blood Moon makes sense when you look at it. I mean sort of. It’s got a bit of a reddish hue. It gets those rosy cheeks from the fact that it’s actually a total lunar eclipse, one in which the planet we live on is directly between the Sun & Moon.

Supermoon

I remember driving down Castle Mound, and at the end of the road was the moon. It was biggest I’ve ever seen it. It was glorious. That was a Supermoon. Literally it’s when the moon is closest to Earth.

Blue Moon

A wheat beer brewed with Valencia orange peel for a subtle sweetness and bright, citrus aroma.

Pokémon Sun & Moon

These are video games for the Nintendo 3DS. I’m guessing it was popular because it involved Pokémon. I am going to assume the moon was involved in some capacity.

Sailor Moon

I’ve seen some things, but I’ve never seen this show. So let’s hit up Wikipedia.

The series follows the adventures of the titular protagonist whose civilian name is Usagi Tsukino, a middle school student who is given the power to become the Pretty Warrior. Joined by other Sailor Soldiers, she defends Earth against an assortment of evil villains. The anime also parallels the maturation of Usagi from an emotional middle school girl to a responsible young adult.

via Wikipedia

Moon Knight

The mysterious superhero will hopefully be joining the MCU via Disney+, a la WandaVision, sometime in 2022. Fingers crossed.

Luna Lovegood

The quirky but lovable member of Dumbledore’s Army. Avid reader of The Quibbler, she would later go on to become a Magizoologist. Self explanatory.

Mooning

And of course, mooning. A tradition unlike any other. Not all moonings are created equal, but if you catch one in just the right light, it can be glorious. If you are unfamiliar with how to properly execute a mooning, here is a helpful how-to.