Rare Supermoon, Blue Moon and Blood Moon occurring early Wednesday morning

What the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is calling a “Supermoon Trilogy” will occur early Wednesday morning as a total lunar eclipse, or Blood Moon, will happen at the same time as a Supermoon and a Blue Moon. According to NASA, this lunar trifecta is the first of its kind in 35 years and will not occur again until 2037.

According to local amateur astronomer Dr. James Clarke, people around the world will experience a bigger and brighter moon caused by the moon’s closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit.

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At the same time a Blue Moon will occur. A Blue Moon occurs on the second full moon of a calendar month. The chance alignment happens “once in a ‘blue Moon.”

The third event of the trilogy will allow viewers across the Twin Lakes Area, in the central and western U.S., Australia, New Zealand and Eastern Asia to get the added bonus of seeing a lunar eclipse, giving the moon a copper glow, what’s called a “Blood Moon.”

Dr. Clarke has more on where to look and at what time.

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The lunar eclipse will reach totality at approximately 6:51 a.m. Clarke says if you have been watching the eclipse from the beginning it will be easier to notice the change. The end of totality will occur around 8:07 a.m. after the moon has already disappeared over the horizon.

NASA scientists are using the lunar eclipse as an opportunity to study what happens when the moon goes from baking in the sun to being in the cold shadow of the Earth.

Clarke says there are a few other things to look at in the early morning sky, during pre-dawn hours, at this time of year.

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Saturn will be noticeable with its slightly orange hue, east to north east over the horizon. The three planets will be in nearly a straight line with each other.

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