By Dr. S.A. Mohan Krishna, Amateur Astronomer

Sky-watching has fascinated humans from time immemorial. Every celestial object in the night sky has captivated sky-gazers, eventually leading to continuous observation and exploration. There is a celestial feast for Mysureans this month, as everyone can witness the smallest full moon on Oct. 31.

The distance between Earth and Moon on this day will be around 4,05,000 kilometres. This year’s full Hunter’s Moon, night of Halloween, presents the second smallest, farthest full moon of 2020. It lies more than 2,52,000 miles away, in contrast to the moon’s average distance of about 2,39,000 miles.

All the full moons have traditional names — from many different cultures — that concur with the months or seasons of the year. In most years, the October full moon is the Northern Hemisphere’s Hunter’s Moon. The Hunter’s Moon is the full moon that proximately follows the full Harvest Moon. The title of full Harvest Moon belongs to the full moon occurring closest to the autumnal equinox. The Harvest and Hunter’s Moons are seasonal events, and the seasons are opposite in Earth’s Northern and Southern Hemispheres. These moons are Northern Hemisphere events in September and October. 

In the Southern Hemisphere around now, people are seeing a moon whose characteristics match those of our springtime full moons. The Hunter’s Moon — like the Harvest Moon — is famous for ushering in dusk-till-dawn moonlight for several nights in a row. At mid and far Northern latitudes, the lamp of the Hunter’s Moon helps to compensate for the waning October daylight. 

On Oct. 1, 2020 all could witness the first smallest moon of this year and the second and the last smallest full moon of this year is on Oct. 31. 

October-end is all set to present an astounding spectacle in its night-sky in the form of ‘Blue Moon’ and quite rightfully so, the often-heard proverbial idiom of ‘Once in a Blue Moon’ will ultimately come under our observation. The moon will be blue in name only, but it’ll be near in the sky to a bright red “star” — not really a star at all — but the fiery planet Mars. 

The similar type was witnessed on March 31, 2018. The next seasonal Blue Moon will be on Aug. 22, 2021. Blue Moon will be perceptible in the night sky tomorrow at around 8.19 pm. Tomorrow, fix your stares on the sky to watch the second smallest full moon. Without the use of binocular or telescope one can clearly witness the full moon.