Two Full Moons in May! The Blue Moon Micromoon Explained

This week on Discovery Rangers, we explored the fascinating phenomenon of two full moons in one month, a "Blue Moon," and a "Micromoon." Now, let's become lunar detectives ourselves and investigate the Moon's path!

The Big Question

What shape is the Moon's path around Earth?

What You'll Need

• A piece of string or yarn (about 2 feet long)
• A pencil or pen
• A flat surface (like a table or the floor)

Mission Steps

1. Find the Center. Place the pencil upright on your flat surface. This will be our Earth.
2. Anchor the Moon. Tie one end of the string securely around the pencil, about an inch from the tip.
3. Start the Orbit. Hold the free end of the string with your other hand. Keeping the string taut but not too tight, slowly move your hand in a circle around the pencil.
4. Observe the Path. As you move your hand, notice the shape the string makes. Does it create a perfect circle, or something else?

Talk About It

• What did the string represent in our mission?
• When you moved your hand, what shape did the string trace? Was it a perfect circle?
• How does the shape of the Moon's path affect how we see it from Earth?

Take It Further

For older Rangers, try drawing the path you created. Can you make it slightly oval-shaped, like a squashed circle? This is called an ellipse, and it's a much closer representation of the Moon's actual orbit around Earth.

FAQ

Q: Why does the Moon sometimes look bigger or smaller? A: The Moon's orbit isn't a perfect circle. Sometimes it's closer to Earth (making it look bigger, a "Supermoon") and sometimes it's farther away (making it look smaller, a "Micromoon"). Q: Do we really get two full moons in a month sometimes? A: Yes! A "Blue Moon" is the second full moon to occur within a single calendar month, which happens about every 2-3 years.