Re: (SNES) Blue Moon

["Les Lytton" <Starman@SAMnet.net>]

From: Steve Brandt <stevebrandt@mediaone.net>
Subject: (SNES) Blue Moon


>Hello All,
>
>This past Friday night at FDO, the question arose regarding the meaning of
>the phrase "once in a blue Moon".  The most commonly accepted meaning of a
>"blue Moon" is the second full moon in any given month.  However, the link
>below appears to refute that meaning.  Interestingly, the misconception
>appears to have resulted from an error in a March 1946 Sky and Telescope
>article.
>
>http://www.obliquity.com/astro/blue-st.html
>
>Clear (and blue Moon-less skies),
>Steve


Hi Steve, and thanks for posting that tidbit of history for us.  Veeerry
interesting!

In 1946, S & T was THE astro periodical, with absolutely no competition to
refute them, or cause them reason to watch their editorial P's and Q's to a
close degree, and was definitely NOT geared to the layman with an interest
in astronomy.  It wasn't actually until the advent of Kalmbach Publishing's
Astronomy magazine that S & T was forced to look more to a broader layman's
audience, and tone down the scientific jargon and acronyms.  I have 14
issues of S & T dated between December, 1953 to August, 1957 that are an
absolute joy to browse.  It is truly amazing the metamorphosis this journal
has undergone from that early time, tracking the construction of the mighty
Hale telescope, and after its first light, the amazing discoveries of the
myriad types of nebulosities contained within our Milky Way galaxy, by E. E.
Barnard (for example), to the obvious changes Sky Publishing incorporated
into their style to effectively compete against that upstart 'Astronomy'
magazine, a year after it had appeared on the newsstands and was effectively
gobbling up a sizeable corner of their circulation.  You should see the
photographs of the first radio telescope to actually be tuned to the
heavens - it is a 40 foot tall monstrosity created from what looks like
tinker toys made with clothes hangers.

Enough rambling...

Thanks for sharing Steve, and rekindling a touch of history in the making.

Dark skies to all,

Les L.
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