Not one, or two – but three separate natural astronomical phenomena occurred in the skies above our planet on Wednesday and Thursday night: Known as the Super Blue Blood Moon, it’s a lunar eclipse with a super moon and a blood moon as well. This hasn’t been seen in the Eastern Hemisphere since 1982 – while the Western Hemisphere last witnessed one over 150 years ago.
Yuri Smityuk / TASS
Russia was treated to this beautiful sight in the middle of the night on Thursday, while stargazers in Australia, Asia, and North America were also in luck.
Yuri Smityuk / TASS
Supermoons occur when a moon is full at the same time as it approaches its closest point to Earth. Supermoons can be 14 percent as big and 30 percent as bright as an ordinary full moon.
Alexei Malgavko / Sputnik
If the supermoon also turns out to be the second full moon of the month, it becomes known as a blue moon. When an eclipse occurs, we also get what is known as a blood moon: the ball turns orange, almost dark red in color. All three together are known as the super blue blood moon.
AP
Although this coincidental occurrence is extremely rare, NASA says we won’t have to wait too long for the next event in 2037. And here’s a video of the beautiful phenomenon.