Super Blue Blood Moon: Lunar Eclipse Party Of The Century

LOS ANGELES, CA — The party of the year, and possibly of the solar system, is happening early Wednesday morning when the Griffith Observatory will host an overnight eclipse party for watching the extraordinarily rare Super Blue Blood Moon eclipse.

The last time the western hemisphere got a glimpse of such an event was in 1866, and there is no better place than California to catch the spectacular event in its entirety, according to NASA.

“For the (continental) U.S., the viewing will be best in the West,” said Gordon Johnston, program executive and lunar blogger at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Set your alarm early and go out and take a look.”

A supermoon occurs when the moon is closest to the earth, making it appear bigger and brighter - 14 percent larger than normal and 30 percent brighter, said NASA officials. A blue moon happens when a second full moon happens in a single calendar month, and this full moon comes out on the last night of January. And a blood moon is the best way to describe the red-tint of the moon created when the earth passes between the moon and the sun. According to NASA, Wednesday morning will be the peak of the Super Blue Blood Moon eclipse.

The eclipse will be visible starting at 3:41 a.m. Wednesday. It will peak at 5:29 a.m., and it will be over by 6:07 a.m., according to Griffith Observatory officials. According to the national weather service, the skies above Southern California will be fairly clear overnight with a smattering of clouds.

The Griffith Observatory’s party will run from 3:45 a.m. to 7 a.m. Huge crowds are expected, and officials advise stargazers to come early and be prepared to walk a distance.

The observatory will also be offering a live-stream of the lunar event on its website. For those unwilling to brave the crowds, trudge up the hill or even get up so early in the morning, the Griffith Observatory will live stream the entire eclipse.

Images courtesy of NASA