Once in a blue moon

If you go down to the woods tonight

You're sure of a big surprise

If you go down to the woods tonight,
You'd better go in disguise.

For every wolf that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Tonight's the night the Werewolves have their picnic.

If you go down to the woods tonight

You'd better not go alone

It's lovely down in the woods tonight

But safer to stay at home.

For every wolf that's keeping in toon

Will gather there and howl at the moon

Tonight's the night the Werewolves have their picnic.

Yes, tonight, Friday 31st August, there will be a full moon.

Not any old full moon but a Blue Moon.

The expression 'Once in a Blue Moon' is used to express a rare and often special event.

This is because a Blue Moon occurs just once in every two and half years or so. This special Moon occurs when a second full Moon falls in any one calendar month. Usually months have only one full Moon, but occasionally there can be a second one - named a Blue Moon as sung about here by the brilliant Nancy Griffith:

Full Moons occur every 29.5 days, but most months are 30 or 31 days long; so it is possible to fit two full Moons in a single month. This happens rarely. The last Blue Moon was December 31 2009, and the next is tonight. After that you'll have to wait until July 31 2015 for the next one.

Can there be two blue moons in a single calendar year? Yes. It last happened in 1999. There were two full moons in January and two full moons in March and no full moon in February. So both January and March had Blue Moons.

The next year of double blue moons is coming up in 2018.

Just for the Welsh Bard, here's an instrumental version of Blue Moon by The Ventures:

The practice of the 'Craft', known as Witchcraft, Paganism and Wicca, all place greater significance than other religions on the Moon and its phases. Of particular importance are the full Moons which are celebrated and honoured and known as 'Esbats'.

The full Moon, or Esbat, is seen as a potent and special time to celebrate, practice rituals, and to Cast Magic Spells for any positive purpose - love, money, health and happiness for example. And the rare Blue Moon event is considered an exceptionally potent time to Spell cast.

Don't miss out on this 'Once in a Blue Moon' opportunity to mark the special event of a Bluel Moon occurrence and do something monumental such as "Moon Bathing".

So tonight, at midnight, undress and stand naked under the full Moon. 'Bathe' by visualising the moonbeams cleansing you from head to foot. Once you feel thoroughly cleansed, say aloud 3 times your special wish.

Feel free to join me on the beach at Selsey.

If you don't fancy that you could join Neil Armstrong's family and friends in a "Cosmic Wink".

For today there will be a private funeral service for Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, who died last Saturday in Ohio at age 82.

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

One man who will be observing the Blue Moon tonight is Selsey's most famous resident, 89 year old, Sir Patrick Moore who I had the pleasure of meeting at a charity fete in the grounds of his house "Farthings" last Sunday.

Love that shirt!

And to finish, here's an historic clip from The Sky at Night from 1970:

See you all at midnight!

Hey Ho!