Early on Wednesday , January 31 , space lovers will be blessed with a trifecta of celestial goody : a supermoon , a blue moon , and a lunar occultation . Combined , the three events will make what ’s have a go at it as a super blue blood moonshine ( say that three times tight ) , an ultra - big and bright moon with a cherry tint . Those with clear skies in Alaska , Hawaii , and on the West Coast can see the phenomenon start at 4:52 a.m. PT , but NASA will also livestream the effect so no one is left out .
AsPopular Mechanicsreports , theNASA TVandNASA.govlivestream will set out at 2:30 a.m. PT ( 5:30 a.m. for East Coasters ) , right before the eclipse enters its earliest phase angle . It ’s slated to range until 7 a.m. PT ( 10 a.m. ET ) , with scope positioned at the Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards , California ; LA ’s Griffith Observatory ; and the University of Arizona ’s Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter Observatory .
Know what a lunar occultation is , but do n’t cognise how a supermoon or gentle synodic month makes the show any more special ? Here ’s a breakdown of what will be going down during the early first light hr tomorrow . A supermoon come when a full Moon ’s orbit moves it near to Earth , or at perigee , making it come along around 14 percent promising than normal . This big , glowing Moon will legislate through the Earth ’s shadow , giving it a ruddy tone ( hence the name ( " blood lunation " ) . As for " blue moon , " it ’s just a term used to discover the second full moon of a calendar month and has nothing to do with the Moon ’s factual people of color .
The last super depressed stock moon was recorded on December 30 , 1982 and the next one is n’t expected until January 31 , 2037 . And for Americans , it ’s been several lifetime since the ethereal phenomenon has made an appearance : A A-one blue blood moon was last seen here in 1866 .
" atmospheric condition allow , the West Coast , Alaska , and Hawaii will have a prominent opinion of totality from start to finish , " said Greg Johnston , a NASA program executive and lunar blogger , ina assertion . " alas , eclipse wake will be more challenging in the Eastern time zone . The eclipse begins at 5:51 a.m. ET , as the Moon is about to set in the western sky , and the sky is get down wakeful in the east . "
Stuck on another coast , or with bad weather ? you’re able to still take part in the experience by watching NASA ’s livestream , and by following@NASAMoon . Keep a close lookout station for the Moon ’s radiate red stage , which begin at 4:52 a.m. PT and 7:52 ET and will last for around 1 minute , 16 minutes .
Since tomorrow ’s lunation is the third in a series of recent supermoons ( the others fall out on December 3 , 2017 , and January 1 , 2018 ) , NASA lionize by create the video tribute to the trio below .
[ h / tPopular Mechanics ]
