The 31st predawn sky shall showcase a beautiful red colored moon that looks like some gigantic rose in the sky. If you are in the United States, you get to view a spectacular view of the much anticipated ‘Super Blue Blood Moon’. The western periphery of the U.S. along with eastern Asia as well as Australia shall get the best view of this rare event.
This rare event named Blood Moon occurs when our moon goes behind the shadow of the Earth as the lunar eclipse is taking place. It is totally different from a solar eclipse. An event is described as a lunar eclipse when Earth comes amidst the alignment of the moon and the sun. More than half of the planet shall see a copper-colored moon for more than an hour.
Lunar eclipses have been tagged as a common event but the one set to occur on Wednesday is special and rare as it coincides with other major events in the sky. This particular event is a cumulated one with the blue moon, supermoon as well as the blood moon. Many astronauts have tagged this lunar trifecta as a ‘Super Blue Blood Moon’.
During the lunar eclipse, the penumbra is the lighter and outer part of the shadow cast by the Earth, while the Umbra is the darkest portion of the same. It is this part that creates the coppery red glow of the moon. If you are living on the eastern coast of the U.S. or a resident of New York, the moon shall enter the penumbra zone at approximately 5:51 a.m. as per local time. The moon shall enter the umbra zone at around 6:48 a.m. However, you might be unable to see the event for a good long time as it is timed around sunrise which shall overpower the event with its light.
However, the people from mid-western area shall be on the luckier side as they can see a longer version of the event as the moon shall enter the penumbra at around 4:51 a.m. as per central time while turning reddish at approximately 6:15 a.m. The best time for the Midwesterners to check out the red moon shall be between 6:15 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. as per local time.
For sky watchers living in the eastern periphery of Asia and in Australia shall be able to take a peek at the event during the moon rise. The next rare celestial event shall occur next year on 21st January 2019. However, the same will be a ‘Super blood moon’ minus the blue moon.