Skip to Main Content
Technology & Science·Photos

Lunar eclipse comes with super moon bonus

On Sunday night, the moon, Earth and sun lined up to create the eclipse, which was visible throughout North and South America, where skies were clear.

Totality — when the moon's completely bathed in Earth's shadow — lasted an hour

The Associated Press ·
A woman stands watching the full moon early Monday Jan. 21 2019, in Milan, Italy. Sunday night, the Earth slid directly between the moon and the sun, creating a total lunar eclipse. (Luca Bruno/Associated Press)

The only total lunar eclipse this year and next came with a super moon bonus.

On Sunday night, the moon, Earth and sun lined up to create the eclipse, which was visible throughout North and South America, where skies were clear. There won't be another until 2021.

It was also the year's first super moon, when a full moon appears a little bigger and brighter thanks to its slightly closer position.

The entire eclipse took more than three hours. Totality — when the moon's completely bathed in Earth's shadow — lasted an hour. During a total lunar eclipse, the eclipsed, or blood, moon turns red from sunlight scattering off Earth's atmosphere.

Besides the Americas, the entire lunar extravaganza could be observed, weather permitting, all the way across the Atlantic to parts of Europe.

A combination photo shows the moon during a total lunar eclipse in Belgium. (Yves Herman/Reuters)
People in Vienna monitored the moon ahead of the total lunar eclipse. (Lisi Niesner/Reuters)
Here, lunar eclipse is seen behind an Orthodox church in Belarus. (Vasily Fedosenko/Reuters)
The moon, seen from Russia in this photo, experiences an eclipse when the earth moves directly between the sun and the moon. (Dmitri Lovetsky/Associated Press)
This photo shows the lunar eclipse viewed from Seattle. (Lindsey Wasson/Reuters)
An aircraft passes the full moon as the lunar eclipse begins in Frankfurt. (Michael Probst/Associated Press)
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|About CBC News

Related Stories

Comments

To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted.

By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.

Become a CBC Member

Join the conversationCreate account

Already have an account?

now