A blue moon, supermoon, blood moon and lunar eclipse will combine on January 31 giving way to what NASA is calling the ‘super blue blood moon’.
According to NASA, the celestial event is special as it hasn’t been witnessed for more than 150 years, back in 1866.
January 31 is the last in a ‘supermoon trilogy’ – the first one was in December, followed by the ‘Wolf Moon’ superman on January 1.
A supermoon is when a full moon coincides with its perigee, the closest point of the moon’s orbit with Earth, making the moon appear much larger and brighter than it normally would.
The supermoon is also a blue moon – the second full moon in a month – and it will happen at the same time as a total lunar eclipse.
A total lunar eclipse happens when the sun, moon and earth are aligned completely, giving the moon an eerie red glow so that it becomes a ‘blood moon’.
Not everyone will be lucky enough to see the lunar eclipse – NASA says the West Coast of the USA, Alaska and Hawaii will have a “spectacular view of totality from start to finish” with other countries seeing a partial eclipse.
What time is the super blue blood moon in India?
India will be able to see the lunar eclipse 2018.
NASA has mapped the times of the total lunar eclipse from start to finish.
The penumbral eclipse – when the moon is immersed in the outer shadow of the earth – starts at 2.51am EST (4.21am IST).
Stargazers in the north-east of India will be able to witness the partial eclipse between 4.21pm and and 5.18pm IST time.
The majority of the country will see the lunar eclipse from 4.21pm to 5.18pm IST time.
In the west coast, viewers can see the super blue blood moon between 6.21pm and 7.37pm IST.
HR Madhusudhan, senior scientific officer at Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium said: “Lunar eclipses are best seen through the naked eye.
HR Madhusudhan said: “Lunar eclipses are best seen through the naked eye.
“The rising moon, at 6.21pm will be slightly more reddish in colour than it usually is.
“Expect to see what you see on a full moon day; in fact, on the 31st, the moon will be less bright than it usually is since there will be the earth’s shadow on it.”
Large parts of South America and Africa, plus west Europe, will not see the lunar eclipse as the activity takes place during daylight hours.
“Expect to see what you see on a full moon day; in fact, on the 31st, the moon will be less bright than it usually is since there will be the earth’s shadow on it.”
Large parts of South America and Africa, plus west Europe, will not see the lunar eclipse as the activity takes place during daylight hours.
NASA will offer a live stream of the full eclipse on its website from 4pm IST time.