The last blue, super moon eclipse happened over 150 years ago on March 31, 1866.
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| Image: Pixabay |
Space is a fascinating subject of study, and it gets the interest of even those who are not associated when eclipses take place. The first eclipse of 2018 will be a lunar phenomenon called Blood Moon or Super Blue Blood Moon.
After 150 years, the moon is all set to gain a reddish tinge on January 31, 2018. Sky gazers and space enthusiasts will be able to witness the rare phenomenon in large parts of the US, northeastern Europe, Russia, Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific, and Australia. Here’s a quick guide to the Super Blue Blood Moon eclipse.
Is it a Blue Moon, Super Moon or a Blood Moon?
A Blue Moon is when two full moons happen in the same calendar month and Super Moon happens when moon’s closest approach to Earth in a single orbit coincides with a full moon. This time, the supermoon happens to be on the same day as the lunar eclipse. The supermoon will take place on the night of January 30, which is a day before the moon reaches its fullness. However, NASA is willing to label the event as supermoon, Space.com states.
As the moon enters a phase of total eclipse, it will align perfectly with the sun and get a reddish appearance. So technically, the event is a blend of Super Moon, Blue Moon, and a Blood Moon.
When will it occur? Will it be visible in India?
The total duration of the event is 77 minutes. In India, the eclipse is expected to last for about an hour so you could start preparing for a sky-gazing evening. The event will start at 6:21PM on January 31, 2018. In its totality, the moon’s lower limb will appear brighter than the dark upper limb.
It would be visible until 7:37PM. The eclipse will be already underway when it is visible in the Indian subcontinent. The most impressive view will be in Alaska, Hawaii, and northwestern Canada where the event will be visible from start to finish.
When will it happen again?
While Super Moons happen more often, a rare instance like this where three different lunar events happen together was recorded way back on March 31, 1866, over 150 years ago. The next total lunar eclipse would take place on July 27, 2018. As for the Super Blue Blood Moon, we might have to wait
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