New Delhi,Dec.31 : The first total lunar eclipse of 2019, also known as the Super Blood Wolf Moon will occur on January 20 and 21 turning the sky red.
The Super Blood Wolf Moon, which will grace the skies, is likely to be both a supermoon and a reddish-copper blood moon. A Super Moon is observed when the Moon is very close to Earth than usual.
This is a total lunar eclipse, and it will be the last one we see until May 2021. The last Total lunar eclipse occurred in July 2018.
That name, Super Blood Wolf Moon, is based on the timing of the eclipse and the moon’s position relative to Earth.
Total lunar eclipses make the moon look orange-red, which is why they are often called blood moons. Full moons that occur in January are known as “wolf moons”, while this one will appear bright and big because the moon will be a little closer to Earth than normal, which is why it is called “super.”
The total lunar eclipse will be fully visible to people in North America, South America, Greenland, Iceland, Western Europe, and Africa. People in other parts of the world will see a partial eclipse.
The Super Blood Wolf Moon will start late in the evening on Jan 20. The total lunar eclipse will be visible throughout the U.S. and will finish during the wee hours of January 21. It begins at 9:36 pm EST (8:06 am IST) on January 20 and end at 2:48 am EST (1:18 pm IST) on January 21.
Prasanta Patnaik