“Super Blue Blood Moon” coming on Jan. 31

If you live in the western part of North America, Alaska, and the Hawaiian islands, you might set your alarm early the morning of Wednesday, Jan. 31 for a lunar trifecta: a “super blue blood moon.” The Jan. 31 full moon is special for three reasons: it’s in a series of “supermoons”, when the Moon is closer to Earth in its orbit and about 14 percent brighter than usual. It’s also the second full moon of the month, commonly known as a “blue moon.” The super blue moon will pass through Earth’s shadow to give viewers in the right location a total lunar eclipse. While the Moon is in the Earth’s shadow it will take on a reddish tint, known as a “blood moon.” If you don’t want to miss this incredible event, put your alarm at 5:30 AM EST.