“The moon is a loyal companion. It never leaves. It’s always there, watching, steadfast, knowing us in our light and dark moments, changing forever just as we do. Every day it’s a different version of itself. Sometimes weak and wan, sometimes strong and full of light. The moon understands what it means to be human. Uncertain. Alone. Cratered by imperfections.”
– Tahereh Mafi

Nights aren’t not complete without the presence of the moon. Let’s get to know our nocturnal friend better with these fun facts:

1. It’s smaller than the Earth.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) says that the radius of approximately 1,737.5 kilometers. If the Earth were the size of a nickel, the moon would just be as big as a coffee bean.

NASA added that around 30 Earth-sized planets could fit in the distance between our planet and the moon, which is 384,400 kilometers away.

2. You can’t live on the moon.

According to NASA, the moon has a very thin and weak atmosphere, which doesn’t protect it from the sun’s radiation or impacts of meteoroids. This is also the reason why temperatures on the moon are extreme, ranging from boiling hot to freezing cold depending on the orientation of the sun.

Astronauts who explored the moon were equipped with spacesuits that had several layers of insulation and equipped with internal heaters and cooling systems.

3. The moon is responsible for the rising and falling of ocean tides.

Around each new and full moon, the pull on the tides increases due to the gravity of the sun that reinforces the moon’s gravity. During these phases, the tides are at their maximum.

Meanwhile, during the first quarter and last quarter phase, the sun’s gravity works against the gravity of the moon. This is when the tide’s range is at its minimum.

4. There may be earthquakes on the moon!

NASA confirmed that the moon may be seismically active. This is based on data gathered between 1969 to 1972, when Apollo astronauts placed seismometers at their landing sites on the moon.

Because the moon is dry, cool and mostly rigid, moonquakes are continuous unlike earthquakes that usually last for half a minute.

5. The moon has its own festival.

The Moon Festival is a holiday in China and several Asian countries. It’s one of the most important celebrations in the Chinese calendar, traditionally held when the moon is at its fullest and roundest.

This event gathers families and friends that admire the bright mid-autumn moon and eat moon cakes. Moon cake is a sweet pastry with red bean or lotus-seed filling. It is believed to be the symbol of completeness and unity among families.

Photo by: Bobs Artajo, one of the Top20 Supermoon Photo Contest winners

6. The full moon has a different name each month.

The names of the Full Moon originated from the Algonquin tribes of Native America which was adapted by some of the Colonial Americans.

January – Full Wolf Moon
It is believed that this full moon appeared when wolves howled in hunger.

February – Full Snow Moon
Usually the heaviest snow falls in February, making hunting difficult.

March – Full Worm Moon
During spring, the ground softens and earthworm casts reappear. Also known as the Sap Moon, it marks the time when maple sap begins to flow and the annual tapping of maple trees begins.

April – Full Pink Moon
This full moon signaled the appearance of the moss pink or wild ground phlox, one of the first spring flowers.

May – Full Flower Moon
Flowers become abundant during this month.

June – Full Strawberry Moon
The Algonquin tribes consider this moon as a sign of the perfect time to gather ripening strawberries. It is sometimes called as the Rose Moon.

July – Full Buck Moon
During this time, the antlers of bucks are in full-growth mode.

August – Full Sturgeon Moon
Some Native American tribes knew that the sturgeon, or a type of fish that lives in the northern part of the world, was mostly caught during this full moon.

September – Full Corn Moon
This corresponds with the time of harvesting corn.

October – Full Hunter’s Moon
This is the time for hunting as preparation for the long winter ahead.

November – Full Beaver Moon
This is the time when beavers actively build their winter dams in preparation for the cold season.

December – Full Cold Moon
This is the month when the winter cold speeds up.

7. The moon doesn’t have its own light.

The moon merely reflects light from the sun. The light that we see from the moon is an illusion of the reflected light.

Astronomers say it will take hundreds of thousands of moons to get the same brightness of the sun. Even when a moon reaches its full phase, it always shines with a lower magnitude that the sun.

8. The US first conquered the moon.

According to NASA, there were three men who first stepped in the moon. Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins were the astronauts on the successful Apollo 11 mission in 1969. Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon while Collins stayed in orbit around the moon, doing experiments and taking images.

On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to step on the moon. He and Aldrin were able to walk around the moon for a few hours, picking up bits of dirt and rocks for experiments. They also installed a U.S. flag on the moon.

9. The moon has inspired idioms!

“Once in a blue moon” refers to an even that is rare, seldom or surreal. Blue Moon refers to the second full moon in a month. Normally, there is one full moon each month but there are also rare instances that a second one sneaks in.

This doesn’t literally mean that the moon turns into a bluish color. However, it is believed that during the 1883 Krakatoa Volcano explosion in Indonesia, people noticed that the moon turned blue. Scientists explained that this phenomenon was more likely because of the ash clouds that rose to the top of the Earth’s atmosphere.

10. Some people love staring at the moon!

If you are fond of staring at the moon, you may be a “selenophile” or a person who loves the moon. “Selene” is the Greek name for the Goddess of the Moon while the suffix “phile” comes from the Greek “philos” which means “loving”.

Sources:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
http://www.moonconnection.com
https://www.space.com
http://earthsky.org
http://aa.usno.navy.mil
http://seismo.berkeley.edu/blog/2009/07/20/quakes-on-the-moon.html

The country remains storms-free as the new week sets in.

According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Samuel Duran, no weather disturbance is expected in the next three days.

Today, Ridge of a High Pressure Area extends over Northern Luzon, while Easterlies affect the rest of the country. These will bring partly cloudy to cloudy skies or a generally fair weather will prevail in the entire country only with chances of isolated rain showers or localized thunderstorms in the latter part of the day.

Sweltering days are here as two weather systems begin to prevail.

According to PAGASA, an extension or ridge of a High Pressure Area extends over Northern Luzon, while Easterlies remain dominant in the rest of the country. Today, the whole of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will experience generally fair and humid weather except for chances of localized thunderstorms in the afternoon or evening.

The country may be experiencing rising temperatures, but according to PAGASA, the Hot and Dry Season is yet to be officially declared. For this to happen, all of the following indicators should be present: the elimination of the Northeast Monsoon, the presence of High Pressure Area and Easterlies, and increasing temperatures.

Today, air temperature in Metro Manila can soar up to 33 degrees Celsius while residents of Tuguegarao can expect a scorching 35 degrees Celsius.

Portions of the country will experience rains due to a Low Pressure Area (LPA) within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

At 3:00 a.m., this weather disturbance was spotted at 615 kilometers east-southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Chris Perez, the LPA has a slim chance of developing into a Tropical Cyclone. However, Caraga and Davao will still endure cloudy skies with scattered to widespread rain showers and thunderstorms that may trigger flash floods or landslides. Eastern and Central Visayas, and the rest of Mindanao will likewise experience cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms.

Amihan, the cold and dry air from Siberia is also affecting Northern Luzon. This will bring light rains iin the regions of Cagayan, Cordillera, and Ilocos. The rest of Luzon, including Metro Manila, and Western Visayas can enjoy generally fair weather though localized thunderstorms are still possible.

In Luzon, temperatures are also expected to soar. In Metro Manila, a scorching 33 degrees Celsius air temperature is anticipated today.
 

Tropical Depression Basyang has maintained its strength as it traverses Sulu Sea. At 11:00 AM, the storm was located at 200 kilometers southeast of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. Moving westward at 23 kph, it has maximum winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of 60 kph. If it maintains current speed and direction, “Basyang” is forecast to hit Southern Palawan tonight and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility tomorrow.

In the next 24 hours, moderate to heavy rains will still prevail in Palawan, Bicol Region, and Eastern Visayas. Light to moderate, with at times heavy rains, are also expected in the rest of Visayas due to the combined effects of the Tropical Depression and the Tail-End of a Cold Front. Residents are advised to be alert against possible flash floods and landslides.

With the presence of the storm, Palawan, Southern Negros Oriental, Southern Negros Occidental and Zamboanga del Norte will experience occasional rains with gusty winds. Flash floods and landslides are possible. With the combined affects of the storm and the Tail-end of a Cold Front, residents of Bicol Region, CALABARZON, the rest of MIMAROPA and Visayas, Agusan del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur are also alerted against cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms, making flash floods and landslides possible.

With the presence of the Northeast Monsoon, Cagayan Valley Region, Cordillera Administrative Region and Aurora will have cloudy skies with scattered light rains. The rest of Luzon, including Metro Manila, will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains. The rest of Mindanao will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers.

Gale warning is still hoisted in the seaboards of Northern Luzon, the eastern seaboard of Central Luzon and Visayas, and the eastern and western seaboards of Southern Luzon. In these areas, fishing boats and small seacraft are prohibited from venturing due to rough to very rough seas.

The Low Pressure Area (LPA) east of Mindanao has dissipated, leaving two weather systems dominant.

Today, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera, Aurora and Quezon will experience cloudy skies with scattered rains. In Visayas, Bicol Region, Caraga, Northern Mindanao and Zamboanga Peninsula, cloudy skies with scattered rains showers and thunderstorms will prevail, making floods or landslides possible. In Metro Manila, Ilocos Region and Central Luzon, partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains will be experienced. In rest of the country, partly cloudy to cloudy skies will be experienced only with isolated rain showers.

With the surge of Amihan, gale warning is hoisted off the seaboards of Northern Luzon, down to the western and eastern seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon. These include Batanes, Calayan, Babuyan, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Isabela, Zambales, Bataan, Palawan, Aurora, Camarines Provinces, Catanduanes and the eastern coast of Quezon including Polillo Island. Due to rough to very rough sea condition, fishing boats and small sea craft are prohibited from venturing, while larger vessels are alerted against big waves.

A new weather disturbance has developed within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). At 3:00AM today, the Low Pressure Area (LPA) was at 505 km east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. According to PAGASA Weather Specialist Chris Perez, it has slim chance of developing into a tropical depression. Meanwhile, the Northeast Monsoon is affecting Northern and Central Luzon.

Today, Cagayan Valley Region, Cordillera Administrative Region and the province of Aurora will have cloudy skies with scattered rains. In Metro Manila, Ilocos Region and the rest of Central Luzon, partly cloudy to cloudy skies will prevail except for isolated rains. In Mindanao and Eastern Visayas, cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms will be experienced. Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers will dominate.

Here’s the replay of today’s interview:

Once in a Blue Moon? You mean once every two and a half years. Blue moons are rare occurrences, but are not as rare as people think.

Tonight, the world will experience a “blue moon”, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

But in this case, the moon doesn’t literally turn blue. The moon is called blue when it’s the second full moon within a month. Usually, there is only one blue moon in a month, with of course, the exception of blue moons.
The lunar cycle is 29 days long, which means that eventually, there will be an appearance of two moons in one month. This usually happens when a full moon appears at the very start of the month, either on the first or second day.

A blue moon happens roughly once every two and a half years on average, the last two happened in August 2012 and July 2015. In rare cases, there are two blue moons in one year. The “double blue moon” occurred last 1999, and will happen again this year – one tonight, and another in March. On the other hand, when double blue moons occur in January and March, February does not have a full moon, partially because it only has 28 days.

Bluer than Blue
There have been cases of an actual “blue moon,” which are rarer than its conventional meaning. The moon changes hue when there are volcanic eruptions or large fires that leave particles in the atmosphere.

One of the longest times a blue moon occurred was when the Indonesian volcano Krakatoa erupted in 1883, equal to the blast of a 100-megaton nuclear bomb. People reported to have heard a cannon-like noise up to 600 kilometers away. Ash and particles about 1 micrometer wide rose up to the Earth’s atmosphere, causing selective light to pass through and reach the surface. The moon “turned blue” for days in areas near Krakatoa.

Reported sightings of a “blue moon” also happened after Mount Pinatubo erupted in 1991. Forest fires are also a cause for blue moons because of the smoke and particles they create. In these occurrences, “lavender suns” are also reported to be seen, also caused by particles in the air.

Historical Mix-up
Originally, the blue moon was considered the third out of four full moons in a season (winter, spring, summer, fall). Each season usually experiences 3 full moons, hence the appearance of a 4th moon, or the Blue Moon, which came rarely and is considered the 13th moon in a year. This was based on Maine Farmer’s Almanac from 1819, which farmers used as reference for agricultural purposes.

However, in 1946, an article on Sky & Telescope misinterpreted the blue moon as the 2nd moon in a month, inferring from the idea that the blue moon appeared as the 13th full moon in a year. The article was titled “Once in a Blue Moon”, a phrase which integrated itself into pop culture meaning something that happens very rarely.
From this misinterpretation, a blue moon can be considered either of the following:
1. It is the extra full moon within a season, which usually has three moons (Maine’s definition); or
2. It is the second full moon within a month (Sky & Telescope’s definition).

The latter is the more popular and commonly used definition for a blue moon nowadays, with the other definition practically defunct.

Catch the blue moon tonight, peaking at 8:51 PM (Philippine Standard Time).

SOURCES:
http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-glossary.html#B
www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/what-is-a-blue-moon/

PAGASA
NASA

The Northeast Monsoon or Amihan has slightly weakened but continues to blow through extreme Northern Luzon, while the warm and humid Easterlies, dominate the remaining parts of the country.

In the next hours, Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and Davao Region will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms that may trigger flash floods or landslides. In Batanes and the Babuyan Group of Islands, cloudy skies with scattered rains will prevail. The rest of the country, including Metro Manila, can enjoy generally fair weather as partly cloudy to cloudy skies will prevail only with chances of isolated rain showers.

Gale warning has been lifted as well, as Amihan weakens. However, colder days are likely to prevail in February as Siberian winds reintensify.

In today’s interview with PAGASA Weather Forecaster Robert Badrina, he mentioned that no weather disturbance is expected within the next three day.