Stargazers rejoice — you won’t want to miss this upcoming event that’s poised to be one for the books!
On Jan. 20 and Jan. 21, you’ll get a chance to see both a total lunar eclipse and the first supermoon of the year simultaneously!
It will be visible in the skies of all North of America, South America, plus part of Europe and Africa.
A total lunar eclipse happens when the moon and sun are on opposite sides of the earth. As the moon travels through Earth’s shadow, the moon will appear to have an orange tint, which is why it’s called a “blood moon,” according to Space.com.
The January lunar eclipse will occur when the moon reaches the part of its orbit where it is closest to Earth, also known as the perigee.
This means the moon will appear bigger, thus the name “supermoon.”
NASA says the January lunar eclipse will last about an hour.
For those of you in Louisiana, you’ll see the eclipse reach totality — the point at which it appears completely orange/rusty — from 10:41 p.m. to 11:43 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 20.
If you’re thinking of catching the next one, mark your calendars — the next total lunar eclipse is predicted for May 26, 2021.