Smurfs and the blue moon!
01 September 2011
If you didn't manage to see any shooting stars this summer don't worry, here's your chance to see something even rarer: a blue moon! This opportunity comes in the shape of a film that is both cool and blue: the Smurfs! These famous characters created by the cartoonist Peyo, can now be seen in cinemas everywhere in a stunning 3D animated film.
For the Smurfs, the blue moon is a magical element that opens a passage way between their world and the world of humans. They arrive in New York for an amazing adventure and make wonderful friends whilst fighting Gargamel and his evil cat Azrael.
Throughout history people have always been fascinated with the Moon, its phases and eclipses. Its beauty and constantly changing shape ensures that we will always look up to the sky at night. As our only natural satellite, the Moon is an important part of our culture. It controls the tides of our oceans and is thought to have played a key role in the evolution of life on Earth. We also base our calendar system on its cycle, a fundamental part of everyday life.
But what exactly is a blue moon?
A blue moon is a phenomenon that occurs very rarely: it is a moon tinted with an unusual colour which appears blue to our eyes because of the presence of dust in the atmosphere.
This phenomenon is fascinating, but unfortunately also extremely rare. It only occurs in exceptional cases, for example in 1883 during the eruption of the Krakatoa volcano, in 1927 during monsoon season following a particularly dry spell, and in 1951 following a huge fire in the forests of Canada. This is where the English expression 'once in a blue moon' comes from, indicating something that occurs very rarely.
In fact, there is also another phenomenon called a blue moon. It refers to the presence of two full moons during the same month. The lunar cycle lasts 29 days and a half, while the month on the calendar has 30 or 31 days. This means that every now and then we will have two full moons during the same month, one at the start and another at the end of one month.
As a result of its uniqueness, the Smurfs consider the blue moon very special. Fortunately, we can all see the magical blue moon at cinemas everywhere with the Smurfs in 3D!
