Full Moon August 2012: Time To Catch Rare Blue Moon Friday the 31st

The second full moon of August, also known as the blue moon will be at its fullest on Friday, August 31, 2012 at the time 9:58 am. EST for cities including New York (NY), New Jersey (NJ).  People in California and other west coast cities of the USA can enjoy it 6:53 a.m. EST.

What is known as the blue moon is not an actual blue-colored moon.  Astrology experts say that there are on average 3 full moons per every season including spring, summer, fall and winter.  When a blue moon occurs, a particular season welcomes an extra full moon.  

A blue moon happens every 2.7 years on average and it is even rarer to catch a double blue moon, which is when a blue moon occurs twice in one year.  The last double blue moon occurred in 1999 with the next one expected in 2018.

An astronomer from Harvard University Avi Loeb said "the moon is far more important to lovers, literature and folklore than to science" according to Fox News.

Another rarity this year is that the blue moon will occur on the day of the funeral of man's first moon walker Neil Armstrong who passed away last Saturday at age 82.

Be on the lookout for the rare blue moon on Friday night, or you will have to wait until 2015 before the next one!