"Super blood wolf moon" may sound like the cheesy title of a cartoon, but this is actually a normal lunar phenomenon that happens every year. And in less than two weeks, it will happen again.
But what is actually a super blood wolf moon? This is a total lunar eclipse wherein the moon will appear blood red for a short period of time. It has often been treated as a bad omen and has even been speculated to cause natural disasters like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
There are some studies that support the notion that total lunar eclipses may be related to disasters, but the super blood wolf moon happening later this month should not be a cause for concern. People living in the U.S. will be able to witness the super blood wolf moon on the evening of Sunday, Jan. 20 until the early morning of Monday, Jan. 21 as it will be observable from the Americas and western Europe, Forbesreported.
As for why it is called super blood wolf moon, there are several reasons why it has been given this name. It is referred to as a "blood moon" due to the reddish hue that the shadow of the Earth casts on the full moon during the total lunar eclipse.
The term "supermoon" refers to a full moon that occurs while the moon is at or near perigee -- the closest point the moon will approach Earth during its orbit. As for the "wolf" in the name, the full moon that happens in January is called the Wolf Moon in North America.
A total lunar eclipse happens when the sun, Earth and moon are in a straight line for a short period of time while the moon is also near perigee. It is not really rare as one happens every one to three years on average.
This article was first published in IBTimes US. Permission required for reproduction.
