Super Blue Blood Moon will be a stunning sight, but it’s not as fancy as it sounds

As Florida residents wake up and prepare for their day Wednesday, they’ll be treated to an astronomical phenomenon that actually isn’t as complicated as it sounds.

Around 7 a.m., the moon will be aligned for a supermoon, a blood moon and a blue moon all at the same time. The whole trifecta has been dubbed the “Super Blue Blood Moon.”

But before you get your hopes up, Howard Hochhalter, the planetarium manager at the South Florida Museum, says the sight will be fleeting — especially on the eastern coast of the U.S.

He said the fancy names for the moon’s appearance Wednesday morning are just that — exaggerations.

A supermoon is a full moon that appears when the moon is closest to the earth during its orbit, he said. It’s a little brighter and appears larger than normal, but only slightly.

“It’s a little bigger, but this is the description I give. I hold up an 18-inch pizza, put it down. Then I pick up a 19-inch pizza,” Hochhalter said. “You would never know the difference.”

A blood moon occurs when the moon is lined up in the shadow of the earth during a lunar eclipse, producing what is typically an orange-ish hue on the moon.

A blue moon is the least impressive of the trio, he said. It’s just the second full moon within a calendar month, which happens from time to time due to the moon’s lunar cycle of 27 days.

The names of the moon’s different appearances can be a bit misleading and aren’t as awe-inspiring as they might sound. Hochhalter said that’s no accident.

“It just gives us an excuse to look,” he said. “Anyone who understands the night sky won’t promote it like this.”

The alignment of all three lunar events is what stands out. The last Super Blue Blood Moon occurred in 1982 and won’t happen again until 2037, according to the Associated Press.

While Floridians will be able to catch a glimpse, Hochhalter recommended heading to the beach to get the best experience. On the other side of the nation, Californians and Hawaiians will be able to appreciate the event in its full glory.

Here, the event will last for about 15 minutes, starting a few minutes before 7 a.m. before the sun rises from the east and the moon sets to the west. Viewers in ideal conditions should be able to make out a shadow across a portion of the moon and a slight orange tinge during that time.

The good news? You can view two-thirds of the trifecta all night long.

“If you’re outside on Tuesday night, you’ll be able to see the ‘super’ part and the ‘blue’ part, even though it’s not really blue. But you won’t be able to see the lunar eclipse until the moments before sunrise,” said Hochhalter.

This story was originally published January 30, 2018 at 8:35 PM with the headline "Super Blue Blood Moon will be a stunning sight, but it’s not as fancy as it sounds."