On January 20th, the moon entered a total lunar eclipse and supermoon. It was a rare phenomenon, and the next one won’t happen until May 2021. Some people called it the “Super Blood Wolf Moon,”, but it really was just a supermoon and a total lunar eclipse at the same time. A supermoon is when the full moon is within its closest range to the Earth. For it to be considered a supermoon, it has to be within 224,775 miles from the Earth, and it is usually between 224,775 and 252,622 miles. A lunar eclipse is when the Earth is between the Sun and Moon, casting a reddish glow on the moon. Both occurred at the same time, which was incredible to see. While North and South America got the best view, some parts of Europe and Africa got views of the Moon as well.
Did you miss the supermoon and lunar eclipse? Don’t worry, there are other phenomena coming up this year. Three planets will be visible (Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter) on March 7th and 8th, and they will appear to almost be in a line. There will be another total lunar eclipse on July 27th, and Mars will be at its brightest at that time. In August there is a partial solar eclipse and the Perseid meteor shower, and to end the year there will be a comet encounter.