Frank Sinatra Blue Moon "Happy New Year"

Blue Moon on New Year's Eve

For the first time in over a decade, New Year's Eve revelry, from early- evening snowshoe hikes to midnight fireworks, will take place by the light of a blue moon.

Savor the moment, astronomers say, because the phenomenon in which two full moons occur in the same month won't happen again in December until 2028.

"I encourage people to look up, enjoy the sight and think about all the interesting things that have happened" over the past decade, said Robert Stencel, professor of astronomy at the University of Denver, where public astronomy events are often held at the Chamberlin Observatory. " And be happy that we're still here to observe it."

I've heard the expression "once in a blue moon" all my life, and knew it was referring to "a long time", but I never thought about the term's origin. Today, my 90 year old father-in-law asked me if I knew what made a moon a "blue moon". I didn't know, and since we start the new year off in a "blue moon", I did some research. Interesting...very interesting.According to the popular definition, it is the second Full Moon to occur in a single calendar month.

The average interval between Full Moons is about 29.5 days, whilst the length of an average month is roughly 30.5 days. This makes it very unlikely that any given month will contain two Full Moons, though it does sometimes happen.

On average, there will be 41 months that have two Full Moons in every century, so you could say that once in a Blue Moon actually means once every two-and-a-half years.

Blue Moon on New Year's Eve

For the first time in almost twenty years, there's going to be a Blue Moon on New Year's Eve.Most months have only one full Moon. The 29.5-day cadence of the lunar cycle matches up almost perfectly with the 28- to 31-day length of calendar months. Indeed, the word "month" comes from "Moon." Occasionally, however, the one-to-one correspondence breaks down when two full Moons squeeze into a single month. Dec. 2009 is such a month. The first full Moon appeared on Dec. 2nd; the second, a "Blue Moon," will come on Dec. 31st.

This definition of Blue Moon is relatively new.

If you told a person in Shakespeare's day that something happens "once in a Blue Moon" they would attach no astronomical meaning to the statement. Blue moon simply meant rare or absurd, like making a date for the Twelfth of Never. "But meaning is a slippery substance," says Hiscock. "The phrase 'Blue Moon' has been around for more than 400 years, and during that time its meaning has shifted."

The modern definition sprang up in the 1940s. In those days, the Farmer's Almanac of Maine offered a definition of Blue Moon so convoluted that even professional astronomers struggled to understand it. It involved factors such as the ecclesiastical dates of Easter and Lent, and the timing of seasons according to the dynamical mean sun. Aiming to explain blue moons to the layman, Sky & Telescope published an article in 1946 entitled "Once in a Blue Moon." The author James Hugh Pruett cited the 1937 Maine almanac and opined that the "second [full moon] in a month, so I interpret it, is called Blue Moon."

That was not correct, but at least it could be understood. And thus the modern Blue Moon was born.

VIDEO: Frank Sinatra Blue Moon "Happy New Year"

Support T. Boone Pickens' Energy Independence!

From the desk of T. Boone Pickens

Hey Army,

You all set to take on Washington?

So am I.

We've got less than three weeks until a new Congress is seated and our new President is sworn in. But before we muster the troops and charge up Capitol Hill, I want to share an experience of mine that not only changed how I do business but how I look at life.

Forty years ago, the small company I founded was looking at a big deal. In fact it was our biggest deal ever. That's when a friend of mine, Dow Hamm, gave me a piece of advice I've never forgotten: "Boone, you'll spend just as much time on a big deal as on a little deal." And, he pointed out, you'll find plenty of lagniappe in a big deal.

What's lagniappe? I'll tell you what it is. When we get America to end its addiction to foreign oil, new jobs will be created in new industries we can't even begin to imagine. When we stop sending $700 billion a year to foreign countries and start spending that money on energy produced here in the United States, start-ups that none of us have ever heard of will get the seed capital they need to get off the ground and become industry giants. When we go all out and develop wind and solar and other renewable energies, the breakthroughs that American companies will pioneer are going to have other countries sending us billions of dollars for our technology, for our equipment, and for our know-how.

Over the last 50 years, I've done more than my share of big deals. But this one here with you, the Pickens Plan, is by far the biggest. And it's going to pay off bigger than any of us can ever imagine.

That's what lagniappe is. Now let's go get plenty of it in 2009.

-Boone

P.S. We’re closing in on 1.4 million in the Army. Let’s get to 2 million by Inauguration Day. Please Click Here and invite a friend or family member to join us as we march on Washington next year.

Divided We Fail

As 2008 comes to a close, the Divided We Fail team has been reflecting on the past year. It's astounding to realize how far we've come -- but with one year ending, another begins, and our work to bring affordable health care and long-term economic security to all Americans is entering a new stage.

In the past year, we united over 1.6 million people pledging to fight for health care reform and long-term economic security for all Americans. We made our voice heard in the halls of Congress, where over 2/3 of our representatives have now pledged to reach across the aisle and deliver meaningful action for the American people. And we spread our message to every corner of the nation.

It wouldn't have been possible without the thousands of faithful activists and supporters like you who attended debates, collected pledge cards, spoke out online, and reached out to family and friends.

Now it's time to turn our eyes to the future -- and with 2008 coming to a close, it is time for everyone to make a New Year's resolution. Will you make a resolution to hold our leaders to their promises and support Divided We Fail in the 2009?"

I resolve..."• "...to tell President-Elect Obama to keep his promises on health care and financial security when he becomes president." GO >>• "

... to tell my friends, family, and colleagues to join Divided We Fail this year." GO >>• "

...to stay engaged and active our fight for bipartisan action on health care and long-term financial security."

The Divided We Fail Team has already settled on our resolution: continuing our call for an end to the bickering, and a start to real solutions for the American people.The first step? On January 13th, we'll be taking signed pledges to Capitol Hill to remind Congress that millions of Americans have signed on to our campaign -- and are ready to hold them accountable if they fail to act.

And for the next 12 months, we'll be increasing our grassroots activity: hosting events across the country, taking to the airwaves again, signing up more volunteers, and growing even more active than before.

Divided We Fail's diverse coalition of members will be the umbrella under which our leaders can come together and hammer out the solutions to our nation's crises. We hope you'll continue to stand with us.Thank you for all your work and support, The Divided We Fail Team

P. S. This ad from Divided We Fail tells President-Elect Barack Obama that we're ready to help support him as he addresses the critical issues of health care and financial security. Join the Divided We Fail Movement!

New challenges, New Opportunities!

As a new year begins, many Americans are reflecting on 2008 while looking ahead to the challenges and opportunities we’ll face in 2009.

The past year brought change to our country. Millions of Americans participated in our political process for the first time. Folks came together to work for common goals, and the bonds of citizenship grew stronger in cities and towns across the country.

But alongside these accomplishments, many Americans also faced tremendous economic hardship.

Too many families are dealing with the strain and loss stemming from this financial crisis. In 2009, our nation must come together to forge solutions to the challenges we face.

To start off the new year, tell us your goals for 2009 in the discussion forum click here:

P. S. Check out the Open for Questions Feature Here. We’ll close this round of questions and put together our responses in the new year.