Unreal Photos Show ‘Super Blood Moon’ During Total Lunar Eclipse Across the Pacific

Unreal Photos Show ‘Super Blood Moon’ During Total Lunar Eclipse Across the Pacific
Left: (Phil Walter/Getty Images); Center: (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images); Right: (Phil Walter/Getty Images)
Michael Wing
5/27/2021
Updated:
5/30/2021

Early Wednesday morning, both sides of the Pacific witnessed an extraordinary celestial sight of notable rarity, when the largest supermoon of 2021 coincided with a total lunar eclipse.

During the stellar spectacle, a deep reddish glow was cast upon the lunar disc due to an atmospheric effect—a phenomenon which gives rise to the moniker: Super Blood Moon.

From Australia and eastern parts of Asia, all the way across the Pacific, to parts of the western Americas, skywatchers took in the cosmic display and captured some remarkable photographs to show for it.

The best seats for viewing were in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and on islands throughout the Pacific such as Hawaii—where observers were privy to behold the total eclipse, or “blood moon.”

A Super Blood Moon during an eclipse in Taipei, Taiwan, on May 26, 2021. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images)
A Super Blood Moon during an eclipse in Taipei, Taiwan, on May 26, 2021. (Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images)
The "Super Blood Moon" in the Philippines on May 26, 2021. (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lunar_Eclipse_in_cloudy_skies..jpg">Deng45</a>/CC-BY-SA-4.0)
The "Super Blood Moon" in the Philippines on May 26, 2021. (Deng45/CC-BY-SA-4.0)
A total eclipse of the Moon on May 26, 2021 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Phil Walter/Getty Images)
A total eclipse of the Moon on May 26, 2021 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Phil Walter/Getty Images)

A total eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly through the Earth’s shadow (within the “umbra” range) and is covered by the shadow completely. When this happens, the Moon takes on a rust-red hue as sunlight, filtered through the Earth’s atmosphere, casts a warm glow upon the satellite’s surface—literally the glow of every sunrise and sunset on Earth contributing to the effect.

At the very middle of the three-hour umbra phase, the total eclipse itself lasted around 16 show-stopping minutes.

Beachgoers in Australia were particularly fortunate to experience clear skies; and photography yielded some stunning shots.

A surfer rides a wave as a Super Blood Moon rises above the horizon at Manly Beach on May 26, 2021, in Sydney, Australia. (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
A surfer rides a wave as a Super Blood Moon rises above the horizon at Manly Beach on May 26, 2021, in Sydney, Australia. (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
The Moon rises over the Opera House in Sydney on May 26, 2021, ahead of a total lunar eclipse. (Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images)
The Moon rises over the Opera House in Sydney on May 26, 2021, ahead of a total lunar eclipse. (Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images)
The lunar eclipse begins on May 26, 2021 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Phil Walter/Getty Images)
The lunar eclipse begins on May 26, 2021 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Observers in some other parts of the world got to watch only the partial eclipse phases, where the Moon is only partly covered by the Earth’s shadow.

Fueling the drama, the Moon appeared slightly larger than is usual, it being at its closest point to the Earth (or perigee) along its elliptical orbit. This phenomenon is what’s called a “supermoon,” which can appear 7 percent larger than a regular full moon—though the casual observer might not even notice.

For those in the United States, the rare event marked the first total lunar eclipse in two years; however, the skies were partially obscured by clouds in areas, limiting visibility.

The Moon over Santa Monica, California, on May 26, 2021, during the "Super Blood Moon" total eclipse. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)
The Moon over Santa Monica, California, on May 26, 2021, during the "Super Blood Moon" total eclipse. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)
A full moon next to a U.S. flag during a "Super Blood Moon" on May 26, 2021, in Chico, California. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
A full moon next to a U.S. flag during a "Super Blood Moon" on May 26, 2021, in Chico, California. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

Observatories in both the United States and Australia hosted webcasts during the Super Blood Moon (also called the Super Flower Moon, after the flowering season in which it occurs).

Stargazers will be able to catch the next supermoon (called the Super Strawberry Moon) on June 24, 2021; while the next partial lunar eclipse will occur on Nov. 19, 2021. The next total lunar eclipse won’t occur until May 16, 2022. Meanwhile, moon watchers will have to wait 12 more years before another blood moon and supermoon coincide.

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Michael Wing is a writer and editor based in Calgary, Canada, where he was born and educated in the arts. He writes mainly on culture, human interest, and trending news.
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