For the first time in over a century, North America is about to be treated to a cosmic wonder like no other.
A ‘Super Blue Blood Moon’ (trying saying that phrase fast five times!) is scheduled to begin in the wee hours of Wednesday, January 31st.
NASA will begin live coverage of the event at 5:30 AM EST – that’s 2:30 AM PST for us here on the West coast – so you can watch this once-in-a-lifetime cosmic episode from the comfort of your own home.
What is a ‘Super Blue Blood Moon’?
Wednesday’s lunar showdown combines several different phenomenons in one spectacular night – so let’s break it down:
- Super moon: when the moon is at a point in its orbit that is closest to the Earth, giving us the biggest and brightest view of it that we can get. January 31st the third and last super moon this winter.
- Blue moon: the second full moon of the month is known as a ‘blue moon’.
- Blood moon: a total lunar eclipse will occur, giving the the moon a reddish tint while it’s in the Earth’s shadow, thereby giving it the name ‘blood moon’.
“Californians and viewers in western Canada will be treated to the total eclipse phase from start to finish, though the penumbral shadow will pass after the Moon has set,” says NASA.
“The umbral eclipse begins at 3:48 a.m. Pacific Time. At 4:51 a.m., totality will begin, with best viewing between about 5:00 and 6:00 a.m. local time. The totality phase ends about 6:05 a.m.”
Unfortunately the weather forecast spells cloudy, rainy skies for Victoria for Wednesday morning – but forecasts have changed before.
Fingers crossed for clear skies!
