Red Moon Over Napa Valley: Photos Of The Day

NAPA VALLEY, CA – The "super blue" total lunar eclipse was an amazing sight for folks who set their clocks to rise and witness the spectacle Wednesday morning. And hopefully the unaware, but fortunate, pre-dawn commuters weren't too startled.

The partial eclipse was to begin at about 3:48 a.m. Pacific time and become a total eclipse at 4:52 a.m., according to Andrew Fraknoi, a retired Bay Area astronomy professor. The "super" in "super blue" means that the moon during its earthly orbit was closest to the earth while "blue" means it was the second full moon of the month. The moon took on a reddish tint during the eclipse, prompting some to call it a "blood" moon.

Out and about in the early morning hours, Napa-Sonoma-based photographer Al Francis captured idyllic shots of the blue-moon eclipse shining down on South Napa's iconic Grape Crusher monument.

And thanks for the shots, Al, as the U.S. had not seen a blue moon eclipse in 152 years, and another will not occur until 2028.

For other Photos of Week from around the Bay Area, see:

• Serene Scene: Napa Valley Photo Of The Week
• Mesmerizing Blues & Views: Pacifica Photo Of The Week
• Tangerine Sky & Shore: Half Moon Bay Photo Of The Week
• Postcard-Perfect Alameda: Photo Of The Week
• The Buzz from Lafayette: Photo of the Week

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-BAy City News contributed to this post/Images via Al Francis of Napa Sonoma Photos +Al Francis Photos