Culture / Newsy

Where to See the Super Blue Blood Moon in Houston and Dallas: A NASA Scientist Tells All on a Rare Lunar Phenomenon

BY // 01.30.18

You’ve heard of once in a blue moon. But what about once in a Super Blue Blood Moon?

Our guess is you haven’t (at least until this week). This extraordinary lunar trifecta, happening very early Wednesday morning, January 31st, hasn’t occurred since December 30, 1982 and won’t come around again until January 31, 2037. There has been some debate in the scientific community that the last Super Blue Blood Moon was back in 1866, but it’s all a matter of time zones.

Set those alarms, stay away from the snooze button, and start watching at 5:48 am CST.

PaperCity chatted with Noah Petro, lunar scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, to get the low down on what’s up in the sky.

So what exactly is a Super Blue Blood Moon? That popular tongue twister — not an official scientific designation — means the combination of a total lunar eclipse, a blue moon, and a super moon. On their own, these events aren’t all that uncommon, but all of them coinciding is a curious treat.

To break it down: a super moon is a full moon that occurs when it reaches the point in its orbit where it is closest to the Earth, making it dazzle about 14 percent more than your typical moon, Petro explains. This will be the second super moon of January, aka a blue moon. The total lunar eclipse means the Earth will come between the moon, scattering sunlight and casting the moon in a reddish hue, hence “blood moon.”

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“That’s the key thing: the eclipse is the fun part of it,” Petro says. The eclipse is what allows you to see the moon actually change, turning burnt orange. The source of that coppery color? It’s pretty incredible.

“The red light you see reflected off of the lunar surface is the projection of all of the sunrises and sunsets” across the earth, Petro notes. Light from the sun that has gone through the earth is coming back at you.

“If you were standing on the moon looking up at the earth during the eclipse, you’d see the earth with a red ring around it,” Petro says.

This NASA scientist recommends checking out the full moon tonight before getting up early in the morning to see the Super Blue Blood Moon.

“Being able to watch the full moon tonight, then the eclipse tomorrow, you’ll get to see the whole spectrum of light reflected off of the moon,” Petro says.

Super Blue Blood Moon Viewing Tips

The Super Blue Blood Moon will be visible before sunrise Wednesday morning if you are in North America, Alaska, or Hawaii, and can be seen during moonrise if you are in the Middle East, Asia, eastern Russia, Australia, or New Zealand.

We will only see a partial lunar eclipse here in Texas, but that should be enough to get a glimpse of a burnt orange moon. In the Central Standard Time zone, “the beginning of the exciting portion of the eclipse at about 5:48 in the morning,” Petro says. A corner of it will darken, and by 6:51 am, “the moon will be completely engulfed in the earth’s shadow.”

The moon will start emerging from the earth’s shadow at 8:07 am, Petro says.

Texans should see a portion of the eclipse, but we won’t get to see the moon come out of the eclipse, because it sets at 7:15 our time. For the best visibility, it’s key to find a place “with a good view of the horizon,” facing West. Get as far away from lights as you can. You can try to stay in the city, but that would be more for an Instagram-worthy snap than a real view.

“It could make for a good picture as the moon dodges in and out of the building,” Petro laughs.

Head to a nearby park to the West for your best shot. But who’s got the best view? NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter gets prime seating.

The space craft, which has been in orbit mapping for the last eight years, is currently up in space. NASA is actually turning the space craft off for several hours, since it will be without sunlight. It will shift from heat to the cold of the eclipse as it goes out of sunlight.

“Even though you can’t see it with your naked eye, you’re looking up at a space craft as well,” Petro says.

This celestial phenomenon is remarkable, and Petro hopes that people’s fascination with this event will get them interested in the moon in general.

“I hope that people use this super moon as an opportunity to get excited and keep looking at the moon, not just tomorrow,” he says.

“Take this opportunity to get tuned into the moon, pay attention to it a little more regularly. Walking the dog at night, taking the trash out, driving home from work. Look up at the sky.”

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