This Sunday, the moon will be ‘encapsulated in a total lunar eclipse’ from 8PM with the eclipse peaking at 10PM. The annual supermoon will appear to be 14% larger and 30% brighter before it is engulfed by the eclipse, a rare sighting that will not occur again until 2033 according to NASA.
An occurrence like this wouldn’t be complete without social media. The supermoon will be visible from North and South America as well as Europe, Africa, parts of West Asia and the eastern Pacific. We should be able to have a perfect view of the event here in Vancouver but there are options available to watch it free online. NASA will be streaming a video on NASA TV with a live feed from the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles and observers can ask questions directly to NASA experts using the hashtag #AskNASA on Twitter. The usage of social media has provided greater access for people who are restricted geographically or otherwise from participating in this global event.
Following the event, we can expect social media platforms to be abuzz with photos and videos of the blood moon as can be seen from reactions to past supermoons. To see if your region will be able to see the eclipse, take a look at the diagram below. This kind of lunar eclipse doesn’t happen very often so it’s definitely well worth staying up late this Sunday night to witness this spectacle.
