The erratic celestial occurrence will combine three lunar events: a super moon, blue moon and total lunar eclipse on January 31.
Here are five things to know about the Super Blue Blood Moon:
[yuzo_related]
- Don't let its name trick you, i.e., the moon won't turn blue. Instead, this moon will look deep red, as the Sun, Earth and Moon will line up and the Earth would cast a shadow on the moon causing a red tinge. Further, this phenomenon will be called as ‘super’ as the full moon is at the closest point of its orbit to the Earth on Wednesday morning. As per NASA, this would make the moon look closer as well as brighter than a full moon at its farthest point from Earth.
- The last time a total lunar eclipse corresponded with a blue moon in the United States was in March 1866, nearly after a span of 150 years ago. A blue moon occurs once every two and a half years, and this would be the first total lunar eclipse to happen in the United States since 2015, while super moons occur three or four times each year. These three lunar events distinctly are not unusual, but it is exceptional for all the three to take place at the same time.
- The reddish shade of the moon will appear during the total lunar eclipse, which will only be noticeable across the west of the United States. The total eclipse would last from 4:51 am to 6:08 am (PT). Meanwhile, in the Eastern Time Zone, the moon will set before the eclipse occurs.
- It is anticipated by the scientists that the best view of the lunar eclipse in the United States will be along the West Coast.
- While the moon will be full exactly at 8:37 (ET) Wednesday morning, it will stay big through the night and even for the next one or two nights. The full moon will be observable to the whole world, barring the cloud cover.
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