When can you see the super blood moon of the “flower” and the total lunar eclipse

The May moon is called “flower moon” and it will be a super “blood moon” with a total eclipse

Photo: JOSH EDELSON / AFP / Getty Images

The supermoon of the May “flower” will adorn the sky this Wednesday. It will be the closest moon to Earth in 2021, according to EarthSky .

There are only two or four supermoons every year. These lunar events are often a brilliant sight to watch because they are brighter and larger than a normal full moon. The definition of supermoon varies, but is generally defined by how close the moon is to Earth.

The supermoon May also be the first total lunar eclipse since January 2019, according to EarthSky.

It will take just over three hours for the moon to pass through Earth’s shadow, but the actual lunar eclipse will last less than 15 minutes.

During the eclipse, the moon will have a reddish hue due to the sunlight filtering through Earth’s atmosphere, according to NASA , so you can also refer to this month’s event as a “blood moon” .

Depending on your location, you may be able to catch a glimpse of part of the eclipse.

Most of North and South America will be able to see it in the early hours of the morning, while East Asia and Australia will see it at night.

This map shows the global visibility of the May lunar eclipse of 2021. Courtesy: NASA / JPL-Caltech

In the United States, the total lunar eclipse will start at 7: 11 am ET and will end at 7: 26 am ET, but will be partially visible from 5: 31 am ET until 8: 52 am ET .

To check if the eclipse will be available where you live, you can check timeanddate.com .

And unlike the Solar eclipses, which you should never look at without protection, it is safe to see lunar eclipses with your eyes. And the other difference from solar eclipses, which tend to have a narrower visual path, is that eclipses moles are at least partially visible anywhere on the night side of the planet.

Now, eclipses occur at the same time no matter where you are on Earth , but the time your watch ticks during the eclipse depends of course on your time zone.

Best view for this eclipse is on the edge of the Pacific, that is, the western parts of America, Australia and New Zealand, and East Asia. And in America, the best viewing will be in Hawaii, Alaska, and the western states.

May’s full moon is called the “flower” moon because it is when flowers bloom in North America, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac .