Coming today: Total lunar eclipse, Super blue blood Moon 2018

There hasn’t been a lunar trifecta like this in many years, and the next won’t occur in a hurry either.

super moon, blood moon, bluue moon, lunar eclipse 2018, indian express

A supermoon during a lunar eclipse in Washington DC in 2015. (NASA via NYT)

On Wednesday, much of the world, including India, will get to see not only a blue moon and a super moon, but also a total lunar eclipse, all rolled into one. There hasn’t been a lunar trifecta like this in many years, and the next won’t occur in a hurry either. The eclipse will be visible best in the western half of the US and Canada before the moon sets early Wednesday, and across the Pacific into Asia as the moon rises Wednesday night.

The coincidence of Wednesday’s blood moon with other astronomical events is what makes this event special. A blue moon means it is the second full moon to occur in a month; and a supermoon means it will be closer to the Earth than usual.

Follow total lunar eclipse 2018 LIVE UPDATES

Blue and Blood

As is well known, “blue moon” is just a name — the moon won’t turn blue tomorrow (or at any other time). Rather, during the peak total phase of the lunar eclipse, it will have a reddish or coppery tinge. This is because even though the moon is in the shadow of the Earth, some light does reach it. Fine particles in the atmosphere scatter the blue component of the solar spectrum, and what reaches us is the longer wavelength red light.

Supermoon

‘Supermoon’ was coined by an astrologer in the 1970s, not by a scientist. The term has come to mean a full moon that is at perigee, or when the moon is at its closest position to Earth along its orbit. As a result, the moon appears somewhat bigger — even though the enlargement is clear only in comparison with the full moon at apogee, or its farthest position from Earth. The supermoon is 14% larger than the apogee full moon and 30% brighter.

Stages of the Jan. 31, 2018 ‘super blue blood moon’ (weather permitting) are depicted in Pacific Time with ‘moonset’ times for major cities across the US, which affect how much of the event viewers will see. While viewers along the East Coast will see only the initial stages of the eclipse before moonset, those in the West and Hawaii will see most or all of the lunar eclipse phases before dawn. (Photo Credits: NASA)

Another eclipse

Of the five eclipses this year, three will be partial solar eclipses — February 15, July 13 and August 11 — that will not be visible from India. Of the two total lunar eclipses, the one on Wednesday will be partially visible from India; the next one, on July 28, will be entirely visible. On Wednesday, the total eclipse will start at 6.21 pm, and totality will end at 7.38 pm.

Global map showing areas of the world that will experience (weather permitting) the Jan. 31, 2018 “super blue blood moon.” The eclipse will be visible before sunrise on Jan. 31 for those in North America, Alaska and Hawaii. For those in the Middle East, Asia, eastern Russia, Australia and New Zealand, the “super blue blood moon” can be seen during moonrise the evening of the 31st. (Photo Credits: NASA)

A view of the partial lunar eclipse which took place on August 7, 2017 and was visible from across the country.(Source: Reuters photo)

The partial lunar eclipse which occurred last year was visible from the whole of Asia and Australia and most parts of Europe and Africa(Source: AP Photo)

(With inputs from The New York Times)

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More