ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Get set: Tonight, there will be a super blood wolf moon. This rare astrological event doesn't happen often and conditions should be clear tonight, making it the perfect moon-watching evening.
But what the heck is a "super blood wolf moon?"
10News met with Kyle Brinkman, President of the St. Petersburg Astronomy Club to find out.
Let's break it down.
As Brinkman explained, "The ingredients that make up tonight's special event, the close proximity of the moon to the earth and that it's a total eclipse."
While lunar eclipses aren't all that rare, having one line up with a super moon is quite unique!
"What makes tonight special is that it's happening at the super moon when the moon is at its closest approach," Brinkman said.
The moon's orbit is in the shape on an ellipse, like an oval. That means at certain points the moon is close to us, and at others, it's far away. Tonight, it is as close as it can possibly be to our planet.
Brinkman also explained why it will appear red: "In a partial shadow, you would expect it to go more grey. The moon is grey, the light is white. You would expect a shade of gray. But the Earth's atmosphere actually causes a shift into the red part of the color spectrum."
Finally, where does wolf come in?
According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, every month has its own name for its full moon. January is the "wolf moon."
The best time to view the super blood wolf moon will be from 10:45 p.m. to midnight. Because of the recent cold front Tampa Bay has experience, viewing conditions are supposed to be great with clear skies.
And Brinkman's final word of advice on how to enjoy tonight's rare event.
"Just go outside and look up," he said.
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the 10 News app now.
Have a news tip? Email tips@wtsp.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
