It's the first time in 35 years a blue moon has synced up with a supermoon and a total lunar eclipse.

Hawaii and Alaska have the best seats, along with the Canadian Yukon, Australia and Asia.

The western US should have good viewing, too, along with Russia.

The US East Coast, Europe and most of South America and Africa are out of luck for the eclipse.

The second full moon in a calendar month is a blue moon.

This one also happens to be an especially close and bright moon, or supermoon.

Add a total eclipse, known as a blood moon for its red tint, and it's a lunar showstopper.

NASA is calling it a lunar trifecta: the first super blue blood moon since 1982.

That combination won't happen again until 2037.

The space agency plans to provide a live stream of the moon from ground telescopes, throughout the eclipse.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, Earth and moon line up perfectly, casting Earth's shadow on the moon. </s> The trifecta of all celestial events is coming up soon, so what is a Super-Blue-Blood-Moon Eclipse?

Astronomy buffs across the globe have been promised all the makings of a spectacular total lunar eclipse on Monday night (AEDT).

Stargazers from North and South America, Europe, West Africa and northernmost Russia — as many as 2.8 billion people — will keep their eyes on the sky for the eclipse, known as a super blood wolf moon, expected to appear on Sunday beginning at 9.36pm on America’s East Coast (1.36 pm Monday AEDT).

Although it is a total eclipse, the moon will never go completely dark but rather take on a coppery red glow — called a blood moon. It is also a full moon that is especially close to Earth, called a supermoon.

And since it appears in January, when wolves howled in hunger outside villages, it has earned the name wolf moon, according to The Farmers Almanac.

But no matter how perfectly the stars align for this stellar event, the thrill or disappointment of the evening really depends on one thing: the weather. If skies are clear on Sunday night, the spectacular total lunar eclipse will be visible with the naked eye.

Unlike a solar eclipse, which requires eye protection to safely enjoy the view, no extra measures need to be taken for hazard-free lunar eclipse watching. If cloud cover ruins visibility, there is always a view on the internet.

“Anyone clouded out can go online and see the view from our sky cameras around the world,” said Andrew Fazekas, spokesman for the site AstronomersWithoutBorders.org.

The next chance for Americans to see a total lunar eclipse is 2022.

The blood moon’s red hue is the result of sunlight travelling through the Earth’s dusty, polluted atmosphere, Fazekas said.

The shorter, more pliable blue wavelengths of light are scattered outside the Earth’s shadow and the longer, less bendable red wavelengths are refracted toward the moon.

Unfortunately for Australia, New Zealand and Asia, the eclipse won’t be visible, but astronomy buffs can hope for some dazzling photographs of the rare lunar occurrence. </s> A blue moon normally occurs once every two years, but in 2018, two blue moons will rise within two months of each other. What is even more unusual about the January 31 blue moon is that it is coupled with a total lunar eclipse for the first time in more than 150 years. Tomorrow’s lunar eclipse also marks the end of NASA’s ‘Supermoon Trilogy’ and will take on a reddish hue during the eclipse – hence it is known as the blood moon. NASA said: “The January 31 full moon is special for three reasons: it’s the third in a series of ‘supermoons’, when the Moon is closer to Earth in its orbit – known as perigee – and about 14 percent brighter than usual.

“It’s also the second full moon of the month, commonly known as a ‘blue moon’. “The super blue moon will pass through Earth’s shadow to give viewers in the right location a total lunar eclipse. “While the Moon is in the Earth’s shadow it will take on a reddish tint, known as a ‘blood moon’.” The super blue moon eclipse is the perfect opportunity for professional photographers and astronomy enthusiasts alike to snap the perfect picture of Earth’s only natural satellite.

Award wining photographer David Noton said: “The most evocative and genuine use of the moon in landscape portraits results from situations when the light on the moon balances with the twilight in the surrounding sky. Read Mr Noton’s full guide to snapping the perfect photo of the blue moon 2018 here. The super blue moon will be visible across the entire globe tomorrow, but only select parts on Earth’s nightside will catch a glimpse of the eclipse.

According to NASA, the eclipse will pass over large swathes of Asia, the Pacific, Australia, Russia and even parts of West North America and Northeast Europe. The eclipse starts tomorrow around 5.51am ET (10.51am GMT), before reaching totality at 7.50am EST (12.50am GMT). If you do not live in any of these zones, find out how to watch the eclipse 2018 live stream online tomorrow. But the supermoon should be a thrilling spectacle in and of itself, and Royal Observatory Greenwich teased that the full moon could appear up to 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter.

This is because the supermoon will approach its perigee, or closest orbital distance to Earth. The Observatory said: “So long as there’s not too much cloud, the full moon will be an unmistakable white orb in the sky. “This is a good opportunity to use a small telescope or a pair of binoculars to see the Moon's detailed surface, or even try taking a few interesting moon photos.” The super blue moon will be perfectly visible to the naked eye. </s> Anaheim, California, Jan 31 (EFE).- People across the United States and in many other parts of the world on Wednesday observed a rare lunar eclipse known as a super blue blood moon.



The event, which began at 5.45 am EST (1045 GMT) and ended at 11.15 am, is so-named because three celestial phenomena occur simultaneously: a supermoon (when the moon’s perigree, or point in its orbit at which it is nearest to the earth, coincides with a full moon), a blue moon (second full moon in one calendar month) and a blood moon (a total lunar eclipse, when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon).



The total lunar eclipse hit its peak at around 1329 GMT on Wednesday and the best places to observe the lunar trifecta were in the pre-dawn hours in the western US, Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands (just before the moon set) and during moonrise in East Asia and Oceania.



During a total lunar eclipse, which happens around twice every three years, the moon becomes tinged with a copper hue due to the reflection of sunlight.



The blue moon, meanwhile, a term that has nothing to do with that astronomical body’s color, happens about once every 2.7 years.



Because the eclipse occurred at a time when the moon was near its perigree, it appeared especially large and bright to skywatchers.



According to the Web site space.com, Wednesday’s event marked the first time in more than 150 years (since March 31, 1866) that a total lunar eclipse coincided with a blue moon in North America. </s> The pre-dawn hours of January 31 will play host to an incredibly rare celestial convergence -- a "super blue blood moon."

To better understand the lunar triple whammy, here's your all-you-need-to-know guide.

It may sound like the apocalypse is nigh, so let's break it down by its three parts: "super," "blue" and "blood."

So, a "supermoon" is when a full moon occurs at the same time as its perigee, the closest point of the moon's orbit with Earth. The result: the moon appears larger than normal and NASA is predicting this one will be 14% brighter than usual.

Chances are you have used the phrase "once in a blue moon" -- but have you ever wondered where it came from? The well-known idiom actually refers to the rare instance when there is a second full moon in a calendar month. The first supermoon of 2018 -- which took place on New Year's Day -- was previously described by NASA as the "biggest and brightest" one expected for the entire year.

Then completing this "lunar trifecta" is the "blood" element. Although it does not have a scientific definition, a "blood moon" occurs during a lunar eclipse when faint red sunbeams peek out around the edges of the moon, giving it a reddish, copper color.

Where can I see it?

Eager stargazers living in North America, Alaska or Hawaii will be able to see the eclipse before sunrise on Wednesday, according to NASA. For those in the Middle East, Asia, eastern Russia, Australia and New Zealand, the "super blue blood moon" will be visible during moonrise on the morning of January 31.

As long as the weather doesn't try to ruin things, observers in Alaska, Australia, eastern Asia and Hawaii will be experience the whole phenomenon from start to finish.

For those living in the US, NASA says the best spots to watch the entire celestial show will be in California and western Canada.

"Weather permitting, the West Coast, Alaska and Hawaii will have a spectacular view of totality from start to finish," said George Johnston, lunar blogger at NASA, in a press statement. "Unfortunately, eclipse viewing will be more challenging in the eastern time zone. The eclipse begins at 5.51 a.m. ET, as the moon is about to set in the western sky, and the sky is getting lighter in the east."

For observers living in New York or Washington D.C., the space agency suggests a 6.45 a.m. ET start for the best viewing.

"Your best opportunity if you live in the east is to head outside about 6.45 a.m. and get to a high place to watch the start of the eclipse," Johnston said. "Make sure you have a clear line of sight to the horizon in the west, opposite from where the sun will rise."

Where the moon is covered by the Earth's shadow, known as the period of totality, it will last just over one and a quarter hours, according to EarthSky. And unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse is perfectly safe to watch in the night with the naked eye.

And fear not luna-tic's, Virtual Telescope will be streaming the event live for those of you unable to view it up close.

There are usually a couple of lunar eclipses each year so if you do miss it this time around, the next one will happen on July 27 -- though it won't be visible in North America. It'll be a long wait for skywatchers in the US as Johnston predicts the next visible lunar eclipse will be on January 21, 2019. </s> CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The moon is providing a rare triple treat this week.

On Wednesday, much of the world will get to see not only a blue moon and a supermoon, but also a total lunar eclipse, all rolled into one. There hasn't been a triple lineup like this since 1982 and the next won't occur until 2037.

The eclipse will be visible best in the western half of the U.S. and Canada before the moon sets early Wednesday morning, and across the Pacific into Asia as the moon rises Wednesday night into Thursday.

The U.S. East Coast will be out of luck; the moon will be setting just as the eclipse gets started. Europe and most of Africa and South America also will pretty much miss the show.

A blue moon is the second full moon in a month. A supermoon is a particularly close full or new moon, appearing somewhat brighter and bigger. A total lunar eclipse — or blood moon for its reddish tinge — has the moon completely bathed in Earth's shadow.

"I'm calling it the Super Bowl of moons," lunar scientist Noah Petro said Monday from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Others prefer "super blue blood moon."

Either way, it's guaranteed to impress, provided the skies are clear.

The moon will actually be closest to Earth on Tuesday — just over 223,000 miles (359,000 kilometers). That's about 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) farther than the supermoon on Jan. 1. Midway through Wednesday's eclipse, the moon will be even farther away — 223,820 miles (360,200 kilometers) — but still within unofficial supermoon guidelines.

While a supermoon is considered less serious and scientific than an eclipse, it represents a chance to encourage people to start looking at the moon, according to Petro.

"I'm a lunar scientist. I love the moon. I want to advocate for the moon," he said.

Throw in a blue moon, and "that's too good of an opportunity to pass," according to Petro.

As the sun lines up perfectly with the Earth and then moon for the eclipse, scientists will make observations from a telescope in Hawaii, while also collecting data from NASA's moon-circling Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, launched in 2009.

Just like the total solar eclipse in the U.S. last August cooled the Earth's surface, a lunar eclipse cools the moon's surface. It's this abrupt cooling — from the heat of direct sunlight to essentially a deep freeze — that researchers will be studying.

Totality will last more than an hour.

"The moon is one of the most amazing objects in our solar system," Petro said. "It really is the key to understanding the solar system, through interpreting the geology and surface of the moon."

NASA plans to provide a live stream of the moon from telescopes in California and Arizona, beginning at 5:30 a.m. EST.

___

Online:

NASA: https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/lunar.html </s> Check out the longest total lunar eclipse of the 21st century.

The moon, the Earth and the sun will be perfectly aligned, and the moon will pass into the Earth's shadow, sweeping across parts of Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean and Antarctica.

The best views are expected to be from the Middle East. </s> A total lunar eclipse dominated the sky on Sunday night, to the delight of stargazers across America.

The celestial event ― nicknamed a super blood wolf moon ― differed from the last two total lunar eclipses because it was visible to Americans from coast to coast, depending on local weather conditions.

Sunday’s blood moon was also visible in Central and South America and parts of Western Europe and Africa.

A NASA map shows the regions of the world where the total lunar eclipse of Jan. 20 to 21 was visible.

The heavenly spectacle owed its name to three distinct characteristics. It was a blood moon because the Earth’s shadow completely covered the moon, giving it a reddish glow. This phenomenon is officially known as a total lunar eclipse.

It was called a supermoon because the eclipse happened at a point in the moon’s orbit when it is closest to the Earth, which causes the moon to look slightly brighter and bigger than usual.

Sunday’s super blood moon was nicknamed a wolf moon because that is the title The Farmer’s Almanac gives to January’s full moon.

The last total lunar eclipse, which occurred in July, was visible only over parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Another one took place in January 2018 and was most visible to Americans on the West Coast, Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands.

NASA estimates there will be 85 total lunar eclipses this century. Still, space enthusiasts who missed this week’s show may have to wait quite some time before the next total lunar eclipse. NASA scientists predict that will happen on May 26, 2021. Americans on the West Coast will likely have the best chances of viewing that celestial show.
• The super wolf blood moon passes over One World Trade Center on Jan. 20 in New York City.
• The total lunar eclipse and supermoon over ancient Native American petroglyphs on Jan. 20, near Barstow, California.
• The moon is framed by a statue on the state Capitol during the total lunar eclipse Jan. 20 in Sacramento, California.
• The super blood wolf moon rises behind the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco, Jan. 20.
• The totally eclipsed moon as seen from Athens, Georgia, Jan. 21.
• The blood moon rises above the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Jan. 21.
• People watch the blood moon from the rooftop of a planetarium in Rio de Janeiro, Jan. 21.
• The total lunar eclipse in Encarnacion, Paraguay, on Jan. 21.
• The super blood moon above the skyline of Frankfurt, Germany, Jan. 21.
• The super blood moon above a cathedral in Cologne, Germany, Jan. 21.
• The super blood moon behind the equestrian statue of the Saxon king Johann in Dresden, Germany, Jan. 21.
• The total lunar eclipse during the early hours of Jan. 21 in London.
• The super blood wolf moon over the peace statue on the seafront in Brighton, England.
• The super blood wolf moon over Edinburgh Castle in Scotland.
• A partial lunar eclipse phase on Jan. 21 over the Paul-Henri Spaak building of the European Parliament in Brussels.
• The super blood moon in Le Mans, France, behind the statue "L'envol" ("The Takeoff") Jan. 21.
• The super blood wolf moon behind Tours Cathedral on Jan. 21 in central France.
• This combination photo shows the totally eclipsed moon (center) and other stages during the lunar eclipse, as seen from Los Angeles, Jan. 20. </s> A total lunar eclipse will turn the moon blood red today, but even if the celestial show isn’t visible from your corner of the world, there are still ways to watch the eclipse live.

The entire event will last 3 hours and 55 minutes. The period when the moon is completely engulfed in Earth’s shadow — a phenomenon known as totality — will last 1 hour and 43 minutes, making it the longest total lunar eclipse of this century.

“This eclipse is special because just by chance it happens that the moon will cross the shadow of the Earth almost along its diameter, which makes the eclipse a few minutes longer than usual,” Francisco Diego, an astronomer at University College London in the U.K., told NBC News MACH in an email.

During totality, which begins at around 3:30 p.m. EDT (19:30 UTC), the moon will be immersed in Earth’s shadow and will be “illuminated by red light filtered by the [Earth’s] atmosphere,” Diego said. For this eclipse, Diego says skywatchers can expect to see a “bright red-orange moon.”

Skywatchers can witness the eclipse in parts of South America, the Middle East, eastern Africa and central Asia. The sky show will not be visible from North America, but there’s still a way to catch all the action surrounding the “blood moon” online. NBC News will be hosting a livestream — part of a digital special hosted by Simone Boyce called “Space Is Awesome” — starting at 4 p.m. EDT (20:00 UTC).

If you happen to be in the Eastern Hemisphere, you’re in luck. According to NASA, the best places to witness the celestial event from start to finish are eastern Africa, the Middle East, India and central Asia. Skywatchers in southern Africa and the Middle East will be able to see totality around midnight local time. Viewers in central Asia will see the moon pass into Earth’s shadow at 10:44 p.m. local time and can expect the eclipse to peak at around midnight.

The sky show will be partially visible as the moon rises just after sunset in parts of Europe, West Africa and South America. In eastern Asia, Australia, and parts of the western Pacific, the eclipse will be visible before sunrise on Saturday (July 28), as the moon sets.

Lunar eclipses occur up to three times a year, so if you miss this week’s sky show, there will be other opportunities in the future. The next total lunar eclipse will happen on Jan. 21, 2019, and will be visible from North America, South America, and parts of Africa, Europe and the central Pacific. The period of totality for this eclipse will last 1 hour and 2 minutes. Skywatchers in South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia will also be able to see a partial lunar eclipse on July 16, 2019.

WANT MORE STORIES ABOUT THE MOON?
A lunar eclipse is seen in Oceania, Asia, and North America, coinciding with a supermoon and blue moon.