Super Blue Blood Moon: Get ready for rare visual spectacle

The phenomena of Bluemoon, Supermoon and Bloodmoon will also be visible.

The last time a Bluemoon, Bloodmoon and Supermoon could be viewed from India was 35 years ago, on December 30, 1982. "In Kolkata, the moon will rise around 5.17 pm, just before the start of the partial phase of the eclipse. The eclipse will start from 5.18 pm while the total lunar eclipse will be completely visible from 6.21 pm to 7.37 pm, spanning an hour and 16 minutes. The eclipse in the city will end at around 8.41 pm," said Dr Debiprasad Duari, director of Birla Planetarium.

It may be mentioned that a lot of excitement have been generated about the eclipse. "A Bluemoon Total Lunar eclipse is rare. The Internet is abuzz with the statement that it is happening after 152 years, the last time it happened was in 1866. But this was for the America, not for everywhere in the globe. In Asia, the last Bluemoon Total Lunar Eclipse happened on December 30, 1982. Moreover, the occurrence of a Supermoon, which will look bigger than the average fullmoon has enhanced the interest of the general people and students," Duari said.

The phenomenon will be visible from a large part of USA, north eastern Europe, Russia, Asia, Indian Ocean, the Pacific and Australia. For Africa and South America, it will be a miss, since the eclipse will occur during the local daytime. It will be visible to the naked eye.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, earth and moon are so aligned that for a period of time, the full moon passes through the shadow of earth (umbra). It will be a Blue Moon because the eclipse will happen on the second full moon of the month. The first full moon this year was on January 2.

The next total lunar eclipse visible from India will be on July 27, 2018 but it will not be a Bluemoon or Supermoon.