Supermoon total lunar eclipse: Five things to know

A blood red “supermoon” has appeared in the skies above Ireland for the first time in more than 30 years. This one coincided with a full lunar eclipse, in which the moon, Earth, and sun lined up, with Earth’s shadow totally obscuring the moon.

For Leida Hoogeven, who watched from a cluster of rocks, it was a striking harvest moon she saw there 15 years ago that drew her to this one.

Weather permitting, the total lunar eclipse will be visible from the most of North America and all of South America after sunset September 27. However, according to Time and Date, the Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar and Passover always takes place around a full moon.

Images from France, Argentina and the United States, among others, capture the progression of the lunar eclipse to a striking red finale.

Televangelist John Hagee of Texas wrote in his 2013 book Four Blood Moons: Something Is About to Change that the latest “tetrad” is a prediction of terrorism around the world and increased nuclear threat.

While Australia won’t get either the eclipse or the red tinge, the moon will still be at perigee – the part of its orbit that brings it closest to Earth – tonight in Australia. Since 1900, a supermoon eclipse has only happened five times-1910, 1928, 1946, 1964, 1982.

Australians will miss the astronomical event, however NASA is streaming a live feed which will offer views of the eclipse from 10:00am (AEST) today.

The Inca believed a total eclipse was the result of a giant jaguar attacking and eating the moon.

As the full Moon moves into our planet’s shadow, it dims dramatically but usually remains visible, lit by sunlight that passes through the Earth’s atmosphere.

The next total lunar eclipse will not be until 2018 while the next supermoon-lunar eclipse combination will not happen until 2033.

Stargazers were treated to a rare sight on Sunday night: a supermoon eclipse.