A Super Moon, which is a full moon close or at perigee, is so called as it is when the moon’s close point to earth in its orbit. A Blood Moon will also occur at the same time, which is when the moon appears red during a total lunar eclipse. This is caused by light refraction, which blocks blue light waves in the atmosphere and only allows the red colour through. Meanwhile, the wolf part of the name of this event dates back to Native American times, when wolves would howl at the moon ahead of their mating season in January.
When is the Super Blood Wolf Moon?
In the UK and Ireland, the penumbral eclipse will start at 2.36am GMT.
This is when the Earth’s penumbra – outer part of the shadow – crosses the face of the Moon.
A partial eclipse will then take place at 3.33am GMT, which is when the Moon will start turning red.
Then the total lunar eclipse, when the Moon will be completely in the Sun’s shadow, will occur between 4.41am GMT and 2.43am 5.43am GMT.
Steven Keats, Met Office meteorologist said clouds on Sunday night could block central swathes of the UK.
He told Express.co.uk: “We are going to have a weather front splitting the country from the north to the south.
“Overnight we will have a line from the Channel Islands running up to the Midlands and northeast Scotland that will be cloudy.
“In the far east in Suffolk and Kent conditions will start off clear but will be cloudier later on.”
Over in the USA, the penumbral eclipse will start at 11.36pm local time.
A partial eclipse will then take place at 12.33am, followed by the total lunar eclipse between 1.41am and 2.43am.
In south American countries such as Brazil, the eclipse starts at 12.36am on Monday, January 21.
What makes the blood moon turn red?
The Moon turns red due to sunlight being deflected through the Earth’s atmosphere.
This is otherwise known as reaction, which bends red light from the sun like a lens into the space behind Earth.
The light then goes onto the surface of the eclipsed moon.