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Victoria Mindova

31 August this year is the date of the phenomenon known as Blue Moon - two full moons in a calendar month, which is coming to inspire a series of music, theatre and other forms of art in Greece.
 
The second full moon happens approximately every two and a half years and the moon is not always literally blue then. The term is used in literature and poetry as a metaphor for something that occurs rarely. "The term does not define the actual colour of the astronomical body, which depends entirely on weather conditions. The moon never changes its colour, but the particles in the atmosphere can influence the way we see it," Anastasios Dapergolas from the Institute of Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications and Remote Sensing told GRReporter.

A specific natural phenomenon as a volcanic eruption or smoke from large fires can change the shade in which we see the moon from the earth, the specialist explained. This happened in 1883 after the eruption of Krakatau. A cloud of volcanic ash spread in hundreds of thousands of kilometres and then, the moon was blue for almost two years. This phenomenon was observed again in the early 1950s, after forest fires in Sweden and Canada. "The phenomenon is expected to occur again in July 2015. It is interesting that there will be two months with two full moons in 2018. But do not be wrong that there will be 14 full moons in the year. In 2018, we expect a full moon at the beginning and end of both January and March. In February, however, there will be no full moon. The cycle of the moon is 29 days and the days of February will be 28 after six years."

Although the moon may look blue, even when it is not full moon, the term Blue Moon remains a distinctive definition of the second full moon in a month. It implies something rare and exotic. The notion of ​​the Blue Moon has inspired poets, writers and composers over the years. The phenomenon has been known since antiquity and people at different ages continue to admire it. The symbolism that lies behind the notion of the Blue Moon is that the impossible can become reality and dreams are achievable, and you can see a blue moon at least once in your life.

To mark the second full moon in August this year, Greece will open 120 archaeological sites to the public. Concerts, recitals or night films-shows will take place in 85 of them with the cooperation of local authorities. In the magical night in Athens, you can attend the concert of Tanya Tsanaklidou and Eleni Tsakalopoulou "One moon in August." It will take place in the archaeological area of ​​the temple of Poseidon on the outskirts of the capital. The concert of the Athens philharmonic orchestra will be near the Rome market in the historic district Thisio and in the garden of the Numismatic Museum, there will be a recital concert of Anastasia Moutsatsou. "A Little Night Music" and other classics will be played in the New Acropolis Museum.