Look Out for the Honey Moon

Tonight we shall be blessed with the Most Rare Friday the 13th Full Honey Moon, which hasn’t been seen since 1919 and won’t be again until 2098.

Astronomer Bob Berman says that the honey-hued moon, which always occurs in June around the summer solstice, may have given us the modern term “honeymoon,” with weddings traditionally held in June in some cultures.

“That phrase dates back nearly half a millennium, to 1552, but one thing has changed: Weddings have shifted and are now most often held in August or September,” said Berman, who works with the astronomy group Slooh, in a statement.

“The idea back then was that a marriage is like the phases of the moon, with the full moon being analogous to a wedding,” Berman said. “Meaning, it’s the happiest and ‘brightest’ time in a relationship.”

The honey moon officially peaked at 13 minutes past midnight today, but will still be bright tonight: get your howls of whatever sort ready. [National Geographic]