Sky-gazers are in for a rare treat tonight, when three celestial events combine to create a super blue blood moon.
This event offers a rare opportunity to see a supermoon, a blue moon and a lunar eclipse at the same time. A supermoon occurs when the Moon is closer to Earth in its orbit and appears about 14 percent brighter than usual. As the second full moon of the month, this moon is also commonly known as a blue moon, though it will not be blue in appearance. The super blue moon will pass through Earth’s shadow and take on a reddish tint, known as a blood moon.
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and a full moon form a near-perfect lineup in space. The total phase of the eclipse will last 1 hour and 16 minutes. The whole process will take more than four hours.
The last total lunar eclipse occurred Sept. 27-28, 2015.
The Jan. 31 eclipse is the third in a series of supermoons in December 2017 and January 2018.