“However, while our atmosphere blocks the shorter wavelengths such as blue light, it does allow the longer wavelengths of red light to pass through our atmosphere and continue on to the moon.
Blood moon supermoon midautumn festival full#
“During the eclipse, the full moon goes into the dark inner shadow of Earth,” Michael Shanahan, planetarium director at the Liberty Science Center in New Jersey, told the Today show. Instead, it describes the moon’s reddish-orange appearance during a total lunar eclipse. While the average distance from Earth to the moon is 238,855 miles, on May 16, however, the moon will be 225,015 miles from Earth, making it a supermoon, EarthSky explains. Astrologer Richard Nolle first used the term “supermoon” in 1979, and in his definition, Nolle explained that a full moon or new moon is a supermoon when it’s within 90 percent of its closest point to Earth, according to EarthSky. There is no official definition stipulating how close the moon must be to Earth to be considered a supermoon. When the moon is full and it reaches that point, it’s called a supermoon. The point in the moon’s orbit when it is closest to Earth is called the perigee. Since the moon has an elliptical orbit, there are times when it is closer to Earth than others. Although the distance between the moon and Earth varies throughout the month and even the year, the average distance is approximately 238,855, according to NASA. The moon’s orbit around Earth isn’t circular, it’s elliptical. The first part of what makes May’s full moon special is that it will be a supermoon. May’s full Flower Moon will reach peak illumination at 12:15 a.m. May’s full moon is called the Flower Moon because it coincides with the time flowers are blooming across North America, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
Plus, because this is a supermoon, it will appear about 7 percent larger than any other month’s full moon, and it will be approximately 15 percent brighter than other full moons.
If you’re in Eastern or Central time zones in the U.S., you’ll be able to watch the entire lunar eclipse. If the skies are clear in your local area, you’ll be able to see the Super Blood Moon, or a total lunar eclipse. If you enjoy stargazing, it’s time to cross your fingers and hope for clear skies overnight on Sunday, May 15.