A ‘super blood wolf moon’ total lunar eclipse is happening Sunday; here’s what to know
The night sky will feature a total lunar eclipse on Sunday, Jan. 20. It will be visible to the naked eye from anywhere in southern California if skies are clear. The current forecast calls for partly cloudy skies.
You do not need a telescope — it’s safe to view a lunar eclipse without any eye protection.
Phases and times for Southern California:
Areas it will be visible around the world:
Source: NASA
Viewing events
While you can watch the lunar eclipse from anywhere in Southern California, here are a few places that are hosting viewing events:
LA County
Griffith Observatory will host a free public viewing event from 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday. Telescopes will be available, and in addition the event will be livestreamed.
Orange County
OC Parks is organizing night hikes and viewing parties on Sunday night. Most are filling up quickly but there are still some spots open — check letsgooutside.org.
San Bernardino County
CSU San Bernardino’s Murillo Family Observatory will host a free Visitor Night starting at 7 p.m. on Sunday for the totality of the eclipse. Visit csusb.edu/observatory for parking information.
The San Bernardino County Museum in partnership with the San Bernardino Valley Amateur Astronomers will host a viewing of the eclipse from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday. General museum admission will be charged, and tickets can be bought in advance and at the door. Visit sbcounty.gov/museum/.
Riverside County
Orion Bear Astronomy will host a free viewing party at Arlington Heights Sports Park from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Telescopes will be provided and the event will also be broadcasted on Facebook Live.
Fun moon facts
When you hear the word satellite it might conjure images of high-tech space gadgets, but the moon is Earth’s only natural satellite.Our moon is the fifth-largest in the solar system.
How many moons do other planets have?
Mars 2
Jupiter 66
Saturn 62
Uranus 27
Neptune 13
Moon phase folklore:
Super moon — the phenomenon whereby the moon appears particularly large in the sky owing to the coincidence of its closest approach to the earth (the perigee) with a full (or new) moon.
Blood moon — the moon in total eclipse appears reddish in color as it is illuminated by sunlight filtered and refracted by the earth’s atmosphere.
New moon — fishing is best between the new and full moon.
Full moon — crabbing, shrimping and clamming are best when the moon is full. Dig your horseradish in the full moon for the best flavor.
Waxing (gaining) moon — slaughter when the moon is waxing for juicier meat. Set eggs to hatch on the moon’s increase, but not if a south wind blows.
Waning (lessening) moon — castrate and dehorn animals when the moon is waning for less bleeding.
Full moon months
The Farmer’s Almanac has a list of full moon names from the Algonquin tribes. They were created to help tribes track the seasons.
January: Wolf Moon. Wolves howled in hunger outside the villages. It is also known as the Old Moon.
February: Snow Moon. Usually the heaviest snows fall in February. Also known as the Hunger Moon due to the difficulty for hunting.
March: Worm Moon. When the ground begins to soften and earthworms appear. Also known as the Sap Moon, because maple sap begins to flow.
April: Pink Moon. The wild ground phlox, one of the first spring flowers, begins to appear. Also known as the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon and the Fish Moon.
May: Flower Moon. Named for the abundance of flowers. Also known as the Corn Planting Moon or the Milk Moon.
June: Strawberry Moon. The time they ripen. Also known as the Rose Moon and the Hot Moon.
July: Buck Moon. A buck’s antlers are in full growth. Also known as the Thunder Moon.
August: Sturgeon Moon. A good fishing month. Others called it the Green Corn Moon.
September: Corn Moon. The time of harvesting corn. It is also called the Barley Moon.
October: Hunter’s Moon. Time for hunting and the storing of provisions for winter.
November: Beaver Moon.Time to set beaver traps before the freeze. Also called the Frost Moon.
December: Cold Moon. Nights become long and dark.