A rare ‘super blue blood moon’ celestial event will take place on 31st January, 2018. This rare event is taking place after 1982 in eastern Hemisphere nations including India. But this event is really very rare for western Hemisphere nations, since it is occurring after 31st January, 1866. According to NASA, it is a ‘lunar trifecta’ where three particular events are colliding. This rare ‘super blue blood moon’ event will only occur in 2037 after 31st January, 2018. The best view Western North America, Asia, the Middle East, Russia and Australia will be lucky to get the best view.
‘Super blue blood moon’ event is a rare combination of three celestial events occurring at the same time. These three events are:
- Supermoon: In this event, the moon is at perigee and about 14 per cent larger and 30 per cent brighter than usual.
- Blue moon: Occurrence of full moon second time within a calendar month,
- Blood moon: the event during a total lunar eclipse when the moon, which is in the Earth’s shadow, takes on a reddish hue due to scattering of sun rays by earth’s atmosphere.
Difference between Apogee and Perigee: The farthest distance between the moon and the Earth is termed ‘apogee’, while the nearest point between planet Earth and its satellite moon is called ‘perigee’.
What is Lunar eclipse: A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, the Earth and the Moon are so aligned that for a period of time, the full Moon passes through the shadow of Earth in space (called Earth’s Umbra).
