Skywatchers marvelled on Sunday night at the first lunar eclipse of the year – the striking super blood Moon.
The rarity of two crossover lunar events – an eclipse and a super moon – lasted for several minutes after 3.30am GMT on Monday.
Close alignment of the Earth, Sun and Moon meant the latter was overwhelmed in Earth’s shadow – first at a partial eclipse, penumbra, and then a full eclipse completely blocking it from the Sun, or umbra.
A lunar eclipse can last up to six hours and only under a full moon, according to the European Space Agency (ESA).
For nearly one and a half hours, sunlight passing through the Earth’s atmosphere caused the overcast, bloodshot Moon.
In the Western hemisphere, American skies received the full view of the longest lunar eclipse in 33 years, according to meteorologist Joe Rao.
Here comes the Super Blue Blood Moon over London! 🌚 🌝 #SuperBlueBloodMoon pic.twitter.com/6KdTpoBVTT
— Juston Western (@JustonWestern) January 31, 2018
This coincided with the Moon reaching the closest point to Earth, resulting in a huge super blood moon.
European stargazers watched for a portion of that time, before the Moon set, while the phenomena favoured westernmost viewpoints in Africa.
This is tonight’s “#supermoon” seen from space! The last one I saw was in Baikonur… I like this one better! ;) https://t.co/duazK4PrVt pic.twitter.com/luehtC4sAJ
— Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) December 14, 2016
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet observed the phenomena from on board the International Space Station.
He said: "This is tonight’s ‘super moon’ seen from space! The last one I saw was in Baikonur... I like this one better!”
