Greater Victoria residents will be situated in one of the best spots on earth to view the “super blood flower moon” Wednesday, but they’ll have to wake up early.
The phenomenon, which will be the only total lunar eclipse of the year and the first since January 2019, will be best seen between 4:11 and 4:25 a.m. on May 26.
During those 14 minutes, the moon will be resting behind the shadow of the earth, with the only light reaching it coming indirectly through the earth’s atmosphere, creating a reddish, yellow or orange glow, a phenomenon known as the blood moon.
At its perigee, the closest point to earth on its orbit, the moon will be just 357, 453 kilometres away, making it appear slightly larger than usual – a ‘super moon.’ And because May’s full moon is called the flower moon, Wednesday morning’s event is known in totality as the super blood flower moon.
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Although 4 a.m. will be the best hour to view the phenomenon, the moon will begin to slip behind the earth at 1:47 a.m. and won’t set below the horizon until 5:30 a.m. in Victoria. And, if Wednesday morning proves too cloudy, livestreams from various locations will also be available.
Another super blood total lunar eclipse isn’t expected to occur again until October 2033.
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