Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Super Blue Blood Moon Will Appear for First Time in 150 Years on January 31

Super Blue Blood Moon Will Appear for First Time in 150 Years on January 31
Paul Cyr / Barcroft USA / Barcroft Media via Getty Images, Twtitter: @MSSpolitico

For astronomy lovers, the past few months have been very exciting, as we were treated not only to a rare total solar eclipse, but also nearly back-to-back supermoons.

Now we're in for perhaps the rarest treat of all: a super blue blood moon. That's definitely a mouthful.

But what exactly does it mean?


Well, it is the rare combination of a lunar eclipse, a supermoon, and a blue moon.

For those who may be unfamiliar with the above terms, let's break it down even further.

A lunar eclipse, also sometimes called a blood moon, occurs when the moon, Earth, and sun are aligned in such a way that the moon is completely covered by Earth's shadow, thus blocking it from the sun's rays. The refracted light ends up casting a reddish hue, thus the blood moon nickname. A lunar eclipse can only occur during a full moon.

A supermoon is is a full moon that is closest in its orbit to Earth, giving it a noticeably larger and brighter appearance.

And a blue moon is the second full moon in a given month. And since we had our first full moon on Jan. 3, the full moon on the 31st fits the bill.

Here's a helpful diagram:



The rare trilogy of events will mark the first time since 1866 that a super blue blood moon will light up the skies:



Besides the once-in-a-lifetime lunar event being the perfect moment to break out your camera and snap some photos and videos, NASA scientists are anticipating a rare chance to study the moon like never before. Most noticeably how the moon reacts to rapid cooling.

"During a lunar eclipse, the temperature swing is so dramatic that it's as if the surface of the Moon goes from being in an oven to being in a freezer in just a few hours," Noah Petro, a deputy project scientist for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter told NASA.gov.

Scientists will use a thermal camera to study how the moon's surface responds to the change in temperatures, hoping to further understand how the rocks and soil change over time.



Various news outlets around the world have been preparing the public for the event as well:






While Australia, New Zealand, and eastern Asia will have some of the best views, a good portion of South America, Europe, and Africa won't have a view of the event at all:




And although some may be looking to the event as the perfect time for the apocalypse, others have their sights set somewhere else entirely:




I mean, I guess...

Giphy

Looking forward to the countless images early Wednesday morning that are sure to flood social media. After all, things like this only happen once in a super blue blood moon.

H/T: NASA.gov, Space.com, CNN

More from News

Jesse Watters
Fox News

Jesse Watters Dragged After Adding Another Mind-Boggling Rule For 'Real Men'

Fox News host Jesse Watters, who is apparently an authority of what it means to be a manly man, gave jazz hands to make a point about how "real men" should or shouldn't wave.

The target of his ridicule was Tim Walz, the enthusiastic Democratic Minnesota governor and vice presidential candidate who often greets the public by raising both hands in the air to wave.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of crowd at town hall and Rep. Mike Flood
@MorePerfectUS/X; KETV NewsWatch 7

GOP Rep. Goes Viral For His Response To Crowd Chanting 'Tax The Rich' At Town Hall

Nebraska Republican Representative Mike Flood was criticized following his incredulous response to a crowd that chanted "Tax the rich!" during a town hall meeting.

The Columbus High School auditorium hosted the town hall on Tuesday evening, drawing "nearly 380" attendees, according to local network KETV Omaha. The event was lively, with Flood facing both sharp criticism over Trump administration policies and some appreciation for showing up in person.

Keep ReadingShow less
Elon Musk
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Awkward Typo In Elon Musk's Bizarre 'Education Department' Trump Meme Is A Total Self-Own

Billionaire Elon Musk was widely mocked after he celebrated President Donald Trump's executive order to begin to dismantle the Department of Education (DOE) by posting a meme of Trump at the department's grave, only for an awkward misspelling to get all the attention.

Polling indicates that eliminating the Education Department is largely unpopular, with 60% of registered voters opposing the move, according to a Quinnipiac University survey conducted March 6-10. Support stands at 33%, with opposition particularly strong among Democrats—98% oppose it, while just 1% support it.

Keep ReadingShow less
JB Pritzker; Donald Trump
Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu via Getty Images; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Dem Governor Reveals Trump's Bonkers Demand In Exchange For Equipment During COVID

Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker revealed during a speech this week that he clashed with President Donald Trump during the first Trump administration after Trump promised necessary medical equipment during the COVID pandemic on the condition that Pritzker praise him publicly.

Five years ago, the United States was grappling with the initial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country had entered shutdowns that had severe economic consequences, leaving businesses and industries on the brink of collapse.

Keep ReadingShow less
Scrabble tiles spelling the word scam
Scam spelled with scrabbles on a wooden table

People Break Down How They Realized An Entire Industry Was A Total Scam

We unfortunately live in a world where scams are on the rise.

Thankfully, some of them are pretty easy to detect, such as an automated call from the IRS telling you a warrant is out for your arrest, or an email claiming to be from Amazon or the USPS asking for your credit card information, only to look closer and see the email address is a yahoo account.

Keep ReadingShow less