SKYGAZERS across the world are tonight being treated to a stunning rare Super Wolf Blood Moon – with spellbinding snaps capturing it sailing across the sky.
The celestial body is bathed in an eerie reddish hue as the Earth passes directly between it and the Sun – the normal source of its bright glow.
It already appears bigger in the night sky as the Moon’s orbit is closer to Earth than normal – lending it the name “super”.
And in January, the full Moon is sometimes labelled a “Wolf” Moon.
These factors have combined to created the exceedingly uncommon conditions for what has been dubbed a Super Wolf Blood Moon.
The spooky red tint – which is to last around three hours – is caused by light from the Sun scattering through the Earth’s atmosphere before bouncing back off the Moon’s surface.
Brits are among those best placed to witness the heavenly event – which has links to the supernatural.
The eclipse began at 2.36am this morning, though observers are unlikely to see anything until much later – with the best time around 5.12am.
Tom Kerss, an astronomer from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, said: “The Moon will be red between about 4.40am and about 6.45am.
“So it’s actually more than an hour that you have to observe this blood Moon phenomenon where the Moon is totally eclipsed.”
Night-owls in North and South America, and western and northern Europe, are also able to see the Blood Moon in its totality.
Snaps from London, Hull, and Edinburgh showed the tinted orb beaming down from the night’s sky.
Elsewhere, stunning photographs captured the Moon’s magnificence in New York, northern Spain and Mexico.
Sadly, arctic temperatures around -15C in parts of America’s North East led to the cancellation of many viewing events here.
Instead, astrology buffs were urged to witness the celestial wonder livestreamed online at sites such as AstronomersWithoutBorders.org.
Pennsylvania’s Carbon County Environmental Center, scrapped its party in Summit Hill, Pennsylvania.
Announcing the cancellation, it said: “It’s not the snow or cloudy skies, but rather the extreme cold, and what we fear may be hazardous travel conditions.”
Astronomers have been particularly interested in this year’s Blood Moon, which will hang in skies above the northern hemisphere.
It is the last of its kind for two years.
Mr Kerss added: “We’re going into this unusual lull in total lunar eclipses over the next couple of years.
“So this is a really good one to catch as it’s going to be a long time before you catch another one like this, we will have other lunar eclipses, we just won’t have anything quite as spectacular until May 2021.”
A Bood Moon last occurred in July 2018, though clouds largely obscured the celestial phenomenon in the UK.
WHY THE NAME?
The name may seem like the stuff of science fiction, but there is a reason why this Moon is called the Super Wolf Blood Moon.
It’s because we are seeing three things astronomical events in one:
- Supermoon – The closest the Moon comes to the Earth, resulting in a larger appearance
- Wolf Moon – The name given to the full Moon that occurs in January
- Blood Moon (total lunar eclipse) – When Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon and appears red in colour
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A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes into the shadow of the Earth, causing the Moon to turn a hue of dark, coppery-red – hence its nick-name.
It’s called Full Wolf Moon because of hungry wolves that once howled outside villages, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
To Doomsday preachers, however, the Blood Moon is believed to be a harbinger of doom and a sign of the start of the apocalypse.
Pastor Paul Begley, who says on his website that his “gift lies in evangelising and Bible prophecy”, reckons there is a small chance the world could come to an end.
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In an online sermon he warned followers: “Obviously these apocalyptic signs from the heavens are pointing to a catastrophic event that is just on the horizon.
“We don’t know when – just because you’re going to have a Super Blood Moon on January 20 and January 21 doesn’t mean on January 22 all hell’s going to break loose.
“But then again, it doesn’t mean it won’t… the urgency folks is now.”
Some see the Blood Moon as a fulfilment of biblical prophecy and a string of apocalyptic books have been published about the phenomena.
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News Photo Super Wolf Blood Moon – Stunning pictures show rare celestial event from around the world as super-sized Moon is bathed in eerie red glow
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