On a Blue Moon.

Rising at sunset, the gorgeous Full Moon of August 31 became the second Full Moon in a month. According to modern reckoning , that makes it a Blue Moon. In fact, parts of the Full Moon do look a little blue in this sharp lunar portrait . Taken just hours before the exact full phase in delightfully clear skies over Nottingham, UK, it features eye-catching bright rays extending from the prominent young crater Tycho in the Moon's southern hemisphere. The slightly color enhanced image also brings out subtle shades of blue, a real characteristic of terrain with a high content of titanium oxide and iron. The blue lunar terrain on the right includes the dark flat expanse of the Sea of Tranquility and the Apollo 11 landing site .

Gallery: Blue Moon