Sky watchers will welcome the New Year with an exciting phenomenon: a rare Super Blood Wolf Moon that will coincide with a total lunar eclipse.
Another total lunar eclipse is happening almost a year after 2018 Super Blue Moon Total Lunar Eclipse, only that it will not be a "blue" one this time around.
A Rare Winter Skies Sight
The total lunar eclipse will be witnessed on the evening of Jan. 20 to 21 wherein the rare Super Blood Wolf Moon is going to pass through the northern half of Earth's shadow, according to meteorologist Scott Sutherland who revealed the news through The Weather Network.
The total lunar eclipse will be seen throughout the United States beginning Jan. 20. It will finish on Jan. 21 starting at 9:36 pm EST and end at 2:48 am EST. The Super Blood Wolf Moon will grace the night-side of Earth that includes South America, the Eastern Pacific Ocean, the Western Atlantic Ocean, and Extreme Western Europe.
Why Super Blood Wolf Moon
Interestingly, the total lunar eclipse happening in winter 2019 will not be just like any other. What makes it so extraordinary is it will be a rare Super Blood Wolf Moon Total Lunar Eclipse. This is quite so as the total lunar eclipse takes place when the moon is near perigee, the point at which it is in closest distance to Earth than usual, making it appear larger. The moon becomes the Blood Moon as its color turns coppery red because of light refraction.
Why is it called the Super Blood Wolf Moon? In Native American times, hungry wolves would be seen near the towns and villages at a full moon. Also, the full moon is both a Supermoon and a Blood Moon, which obviously explains why it is named Super Blood Wolf Moon.
The Super Blood Wolf Moon Total Lunar Eclipse is also a rare one. It will as well be the first and last to occur across the winter skies of Northern America within the next three years. The same celestial event will again happen in May of 2022.
Photo: Kevin Rheese | Flickr
