'Blue Moon' of 2012: See the First Photos
The first photos are starting to appear from today's (Aug. 31) blue moon, the last such sight until 2015.
A blue moon is the name given to the second full moon in a single month, a rare occurrence that won't happen again for three years.
Though blue moons don't actually appear blue, one stargazer named Tom Sajinsa whimsically tinted the moon blue in a photo he took of the full disk this morning from New York City.
The moon technically became full at 9:58 a.m. EDT (1358 GMT), marking the second time in August that it's reached full phase. The month's first full moon occurred Aug. 1. But to the average night sky stargazer, the moon can still appear full in the day before and after the actual full moon time.
Some parts of the world are already catching views of today's moon, such as Japan, where the sun set at 6:26 p.m. Japan Standard Time on Friday (Aug. 31), or 5:26 a.m. EDT (0926 GMT).
Angela Saeki captured the moon from her balcony on the 34th floor of an apartment building in Osaka, Japan. (Source)
August Full Moon Names From Native American and Other Different Cultures
Joyful Moon (Hopi).
First Acorns (Pomo).
Ripen moon (Dakota).
Dispute Moon (Celtic).
Cutter Moon (Abernaki).
Dog Days moon (Yuchi).
Corn Silk Moon (Ponca).
Harvest Moon (Chinese).
Berry Moon (Anishnaabe).
Women's Moon (Choctaw).
Mulberries Moon (Natchez).
Middle moon (Potawatomi).
Freshness Moon (Mohawk).
Yelow flower moon (Osage).
Blackberry Moon (Wishram).
Acorns Ripen Moon (Maidu).
Wheat Cut Moon (San Juan).
Lightning Moon (Neo Pagan).
Black Cherries Moon (Sioux).
Yellow Leaves moon (Kiowa).
Edible Corn Moon (Agonquin).
Young Ducks Fly Moon (Cree).
Lightening Moon (Neo-Pagan).
Black Cherries Moon (Assiniboine).
Dog Day's Moon (Colonial American).
Autumn Moon (Taos Native American).
Corn Moon, Wort Moon (Medieval English).
Geese Shedding Feathers Moon (Arapaho).
Feather Shedding Moon (Passamaquoddy).
Dispute Moon (Full Janic), Harvest Moon (Dark Janic).
Big Harvest moon, Heat Moon, Big Rippening Moon (Creek).
Fruit Moon, Drying Moon, Last Fruit Moon, Grain Moon (Cherokee).
Red Moon,Sturgeon Moon, Green Corn Moon, Dog Days Moon (Algonquin).
Other Moon names : Wyrt, Barley Moon
Blue Moon of Osaka, JapanCredit: Angela Saeki Night sky watcher Angela Saeki caught the blue moon from her balcony on the 34th floor in Osaka, Japan, August 30, 2012.
Almost Blue MoonCredit: Tom SajinsaNight sky watcher Tom Sajinsa sent in the following picture of the moon. He writes: "Setting up for the blue moon, 8/28/12 11:15 pm NYC moon."
August 2012 Blue Moon in Minot, SDCredit: David StockingerNight sky watcher David Stockinger took this photo of the August 2012 blue moon in Minot, SD, on August 30, 2012.
Blue Moon of Osaka, Japan #2Credit: Angela SaekiNight sky watcher Angela Saeki caught the blue moon from her balcony on the 34th floor in Osaka, Japan, August 30, 2012.
Full Moon and Airplane: Sid VedulaCredit: Sid VedulaPhotographer Sid Vedula captured this amazing view of the full moon of Aug. 1, 2012, from Houston, TX, with a passing airplane in silhouette.
Squashed Full Moon of Aug. 1, 2012Credit: NASAThe Aug. 1, 2012, full moon appears squashed due to distortions by Earth's atmosphere in this photo by an astronaut on the International Space Station.
Perseid Meteor with the Moon, Venus and JupiterCredit: Robb Rosenfeld
VIDEO Blue Moon August 31 2012
Thank you!!! Beautiful, videos. I was looking forward to seeing this Moon, is over-cast where I am. ^..^ "AAAWWWWWOOOOOOoooooooo"