Amber Garibaldi, resident of Horizon City, found some peace in the bright blue moon.
“It lit up my whole backyard and the craters are even more visible tonight. Luna is showing off all her glory,” she said after briefly stepping outside.
Garibaldi, a tie-dye designer, said she enjoyed being outside under the full moon on Monday, August 19.
“For a few minutes all the madness is over and it’s just peaceful,” she said.
Whether El Paso residents saw the seasonal blue moon in their city or at White Sands National Park, the moon shone big and bright.
How common are blue moons?
The August full moon occurs when there are four full moons in a single astronomical season, instead of the usual three. In this case, the third full moon of the four is called a blue moon. This type of blue moon is rare.
The term “blue moon” does not refer to the color of the moon, but to its rarity. Blue moons occur about every two to three years. On these rare occasions, the moon may appear blue due to atmospheric conditions.
The last seasonal blue moon was in August 2021, and the next one will not occur until May 2027.
For a complete list of upcoming celestial events such as full moons and meteor showers, visit this Farmer’s Almanac’s website.
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María Cortés González can be reached at 915-546-6150; [email protected], @EPTMaria on Twitter; eptmariacg on Tiktok.
