Three different moon events happened today...the first of its kind in 35 years.
A total lunar eclipse, a super moon and a blue moon all happened this morning between 5 and 5:30 am.
“The super moon is in reference to the fact that the moon is at its closest pass around the Earth right now. The blue moon refers to the fact that this is the second full moon of this month. And then the blood part of that name, comes from the fact that the moon will be eclipsed,” said NASA Scientist Dr. Jacob Bleacher.
The super moon was a bigger and brighter moon caused by the moon’s closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit.
Because this is the second full moon of a calendar month, it is a blue moon--which is rare
Finally, some of us will also see the lunar eclipse where the moon passes into Earth's shadow to take on a reddish-copper color.
Bleacher said any one of these events is a rarity and the culmination of all of them is uncommon.
“The last time it happened was about 35 years ago. Before that, you have to go pretty far back, it didn’t happen until in the 1800s,” said Bleacher.
The lunar trifecta will not occur again until 2037.
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.