Science & Technology

Don’t miss the “Super Blue Blood Moon” today!

Anneedwardstv.com

January 30, 2018

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Blue moon you saw me standing alone
Without a dream in my heart
Without a love of my own

One of the first tunes I learned to play on the piano was the 1934 ballad, Blue Moon.

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Now how many of you actually remember Blue Moon?

A rendition that shot to stardom a few times and covered by various artists including Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Elvis Presley, The Mavericks, Dean Martin, The Supremes and Rod Stewart.

It is also the anthem of English Premier League football club Manchester City, who have adapted the song slightly.

If it’s not “playing out” in your head already, it is set to look down upon you later today between 6.51pm to just after midnight at around 12.08am.

This rare event, the Blue Moon, Super Moon and Blood Moon is happening after 150 years.

This was for the Americas, not for everywhere on the globe.

In Asia, the last Blue Moon and total lunar eclipse happened on December 30, 1982.

The phenomenon will make its appearance for about five hours and 17 minutes.

It can be viewed over the skies of Eastern Europe, East Africa, Asia (including Malaysia), Australia and North America.

The eclipse will happen as the moon rises in the eastern horizon (except in Sabah and Sarawak – eclipse begins after the moon rises).

The maximum full eclipse phase will be at 9:29 pm.

The National Space Agency said the full moon eclipse occurs when the sun, earth and moon are aligned.

“The moon will gradually turn from the white pearl colour we see every day to reddish and then to its original colour during the five-hour period.

“The lunar eclipse today differs from other eclipses and full moons depending on several factors including the position of the earth’s atmosphere and the position of the moon along its orbit.

“During the eclipse, the moon actually has just crossed the perigee position on Jan 30 with a distance of 358,993 kilometers from earth and thus making this an “Eclipse Supermoon’ (the definition of ‘Supermoon’ is when the moon’s distance is less than 360,000 kilometers from earth),” said the agency.

No specific equipment is needed to enjoy this phenomenon.

The main thing is the weather conditions in each place as it happens.

However, the use of telescopes and binoculars will help to see more clearly.

Meanwhile, the Malaysia Langkawi National Observatory, will be holding activities for the public to witness the phenomenon.

Mobile telescopes will be available to visitors for free.

Among locations that can be visited for observation activities are: