Moon puts on stunning display during eclipse

Columbus knew a blood moon had been forecast, and warned the natives that his god would send an angry “sign” at their treatment of the newcomers.

Only five supermoon eclipses have occurred since 1900 – in 1910, 1928, 1946, 1964 and 1982.

The Earth’s shadow will start making its way across the moon at 6:11 p.m. Belize time.

“The usually very bright full moon of the month turned a deep, ruddy red for over an hour”. “During a total lunar eclipse, the moon does not turn black but takes a reddish-copper tinge”. But tonight there’s something even more special about this lunar eclipse.

It was also the Harvest Moon for the year, as it was the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox. Tonight we have a full moon, but the moon is also at perigee – the point on the moon’s elliptical path when it is closest to earth. When the moon is at its perigee, it becomes a supermoon – as it appears up to 14 percent larger in diameter and much brighter when viewed from Earth.

The coincidence of a supermoon and lunar eclipse that will take lace throughout the early hours of Monday morning is a rare one.

“He said a supermoon was to some extent a moveable feast compared with an eclipse, where the timing can be measured precisely”. Because a lot of light scatters off the Earth’s atmosphere, the moon will not look completely dark but have a coppery red color – hence the blood moon moniker. This combination of events is rare due to the number of conditions it needs to fulfil.

According to NASA, the next solar eclipse will occur on March 9, 2016.

It was the first time the events have made a twin appearance since 1982, and it won’t happen again until 2033.

Young said a lunar eclipse happens when the sun, earth, and moon are in a straight line.