Stunning Lunar Eclipse Photos and Videos Show 2021 Supermoon
Ewan Palmer
NEWSWEEK
Images and videos have been shared online of the rare "Super Flower Blood Moon" which is appearing in the night sky this week.
Images and videos have been shared online of the rare "Super Flower Blood Moon" which is appearing in the night sky this week.
© FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images The Moon as seen over Santa Monica, California on May 26, 2021 during the "Super Blood Moon" total eclipse.
The phenomenon, which occurs when a total lunar eclipse coincides with a full moon reaching its closest point of orbit to Earth, saw our natural satellite turn a dark red as a result of sunlight refracting through the Earth's atmosphere.
The moon was best viewed in western North America and in far southern South America early Wednesday morning, providing perfect snapshots for those lucky enough to capture the moment when both the supermoon and lunar eclipse occurred at the same time.
A supermoon can be seen when a full moon is at, or near, its closest point to the Earth, making it appear especially large in the sky. A lunar eclipse occurs when the sun and moon are at precise positions on opposite sides of the Earth, preventing the sun's light from reaching the moon's surface.
The Earth's atmosphere then filters the light as it passes, giving the moon a dark reddish glow. According to NASA, the more dust or clouds in Earth's atmosphere there are during the eclipse, the redder the moon will appear.
There are various reasons why the phenomenon has its long name.
According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, which lists the names of the full moon for every month based on Native American, Colonial American, or other traditional North American or European sources, full moons that occur in May are sometimes known as flower moons because that is the month when flowers bloom.
The blood is a reference to the color the moon appears in during the lunar eclipse, with this one being the first to have taken place since 2019.
According to NPR, there have been just nine total lunar eclipses in the last 10 years, whereas supermoons are more common and occur several times a year.
It's happening! Full lunar eclipse.#SuperBloodMoon pic.twitter.com/7Osb2fhkPs— Ashton Altieri (@AshtonCBS4) May 26, 2021
May 26, 2021
LUNAR TRIFECTA 🌚✨
-Full Moon
-Supermoon
-Total Lunar Eclipse "Super Flower Blood Moon"
Fujifilm X-T100
75-300MM#TotalLunarEclipse2021 #SuperFlowerBloodMoon pic.twitter.com/QrBUnDmPEO— GALACTIC HOTDOG 🌭 (@oweeeshi) May 26, 2021
Super blood moon over the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island! 🌝#LunarEclipse2021 #SuperBloodMoon #supermoon pic.twitter.com/CofkjuuSTq— James Gong (@jgong23) May 26, 2021
The moon looks incredible.#LunarEclipse2021 pic.twitter.com/B3iohgKtzU— scott budman (@scottbudman) May 26, 2021
On Thursday, NASA published a guide on how to photograph the moon, which included practicing using your camera and scouting out locations beforehand.
"It means doing a lot of homework," said Bill Ingalls, NASA's senior photographer. "I use Google Maps and other apps—even a compass—to plan where to get just the right angle at the right time."
Ingalls also suggested not photographing the moon by itself, with no reference point.
"I've certainly done it myself, but everyone will get that shot. Instead, think of how to make the image creative—that means tying it into some land-based object. It can be a local landmark or anything to give your photo a sense of place," he said.
The phenomenon, which occurs when a total lunar eclipse coincides with a full moon reaching its closest point of orbit to Earth, saw our natural satellite turn a dark red as a result of sunlight refracting through the Earth's atmosphere.
The moon was best viewed in western North America and in far southern South America early Wednesday morning, providing perfect snapshots for those lucky enough to capture the moment when both the supermoon and lunar eclipse occurred at the same time.
A supermoon can be seen when a full moon is at, or near, its closest point to the Earth, making it appear especially large in the sky. A lunar eclipse occurs when the sun and moon are at precise positions on opposite sides of the Earth, preventing the sun's light from reaching the moon's surface.
The Earth's atmosphere then filters the light as it passes, giving the moon a dark reddish glow. According to NASA, the more dust or clouds in Earth's atmosphere there are during the eclipse, the redder the moon will appear.
There are various reasons why the phenomenon has its long name.
According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, which lists the names of the full moon for every month based on Native American, Colonial American, or other traditional North American or European sources, full moons that occur in May are sometimes known as flower moons because that is the month when flowers bloom.
The blood is a reference to the color the moon appears in during the lunar eclipse, with this one being the first to have taken place since 2019.
According to NPR, there have been just nine total lunar eclipses in the last 10 years, whereas supermoons are more common and occur several times a year.
It's happening! Full lunar eclipse.#SuperBloodMoon pic.twitter.com/7Osb2fhkPs— Ashton Altieri (@AshtonCBS4) May 26, 2021
May 26, 2021
LUNAR TRIFECTA 🌚✨
-Full Moon
-Supermoon
-Total Lunar Eclipse "Super Flower Blood Moon"
Fujifilm X-T100
75-300MM#TotalLunarEclipse2021 #SuperFlowerBloodMoon pic.twitter.com/QrBUnDmPEO— GALACTIC HOTDOG 🌭 (@oweeeshi) May 26, 2021
Super blood moon over the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island! 🌝#LunarEclipse2021 #SuperBloodMoon #supermoon pic.twitter.com/CofkjuuSTq— James Gong (@jgong23) May 26, 2021
The moon looks incredible.#LunarEclipse2021 pic.twitter.com/B3iohgKtzU— scott budman (@scottbudman) May 26, 2021
On Thursday, NASA published a guide on how to photograph the moon, which included practicing using your camera and scouting out locations beforehand.
"It means doing a lot of homework," said Bill Ingalls, NASA's senior photographer. "I use Google Maps and other apps—even a compass—to plan where to get just the right angle at the right time."
Ingalls also suggested not photographing the moon by itself, with no reference point.
"I've certainly done it myself, but everyone will get that shot. Instead, think of how to make the image creative—that means tying it into some land-based object. It can be a local landmark or anything to give your photo a sense of place," he said.
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