As the final astrological chapter for 2009 is written, a partially eclipsed Full Moon graces the sky on December 31. Quite a year it's been, yet we're just getting warmed up for 2010.
This is the first Full Moon of the Winter Season. By a quirk of the calendar, it's the second Full Moon in December, which the press heralds as a "Blue Moon".
Blue Moon origin - back in 1948, the Farmer's Almanac definition of a Blue Moon was misinterpreted to be the 2nd Full Moon of the month. Unfortunate or otherwise, this mischaracterization of a Blue Moon has stuck. The correct interpretation: a season with 4 Full Moons (usually there are 3). The second one in the same astrological sign is the "blue one" - something that next occurs in Autumn 2010 with 2 Aries Full Moons. If you're looking for more details, look no further than here.
Blue or otherwise, this eclipsed Full Moon in the sign of Cancer is one of those "unseen" eclipses. Any shadow effect from the Moon's passage through the Earth's outer shadow (penumbra) will be barely noticeable, if at all. A very good visual of the eclipse passage over Europe, Africa and Asia may be found here, courtesy of Shadow and Substance.
A partial eclipse effect usually diminishes the event's intensity. However, what the eclipse may lack in visual stimulation, is more than made up by its potent and challenging associations with planetary energies in Capricorn and Libra.