'Blue moon' for day of Armstrong service

30 Aug 2012, 9:02 am   -   Source: AAP

A blue moon, which occurs when there is a second full moon in one calendar month, is due on Friday, the day of a private service for Neil Armstrong.

A rare "blue moon" is on its way, a fitting wink to Neil Armstrong by the cosmic calendar.

The blue moon, is due on Friday, the day of a private service for Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, who died last Saturday in Ohio aged 82.

A blue moon occurs when there is a second full moon in one calendar month. It will not happen again until July 2015.

The full moon cycle is 29.5 days, so a blue moon is uncommon and has come to mean something rare. The moon does not actually appear blue.

The blue moon will occur on August 31 for South America, North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, India, and Australia. New Zealand will miss out as the full moon occurs just past midnight on September 1.

Harvard University astronomer Avi Loeb said the blue moon was far more important to lovers, literature and folklore than to science.

Armstrong's family has suggested paying tribute to him by looking at the moon and giving the astronaut a wink.

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