In the days leading up to 31.01.2018, social media and news platforms were abuzz with excitement over an extraordinary astronomical event - a rare convergence of three lunar phenomena: a
supermoon, a
blue moon, and a
total lunar eclipse, also known as a
blood moon. This remarkable alignment had not been witnessed for 152 years, with the last occurrence dating back to 31.03.1866.
A supermoon occurs when the full moon is at its closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit - approximately 360,199 km away, compared to the average distance of 382,900 km. At this proximity, the moon appears about 14% larger and 30% brighter than usual. It was also a blue moon, the term given to the second full moon in a single calendar month. The third phenomenon - a total lunar eclipse - happens when the Earth aligns directly between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow over the moon. The eerie red hue of the blood moon is the result of sunlight passing through the Earth’s atmosphere; the shorter blue wavelengths are scattered while the longer red and orange wavelengths are refracted and projected onto the moon's surface.
Not wanting to miss this once-in-a-lifetime celestial spectacle, we joined the enthusiastic crowd at Yayasan Sabah, where the event was co-organized by the Sabah Stargazers.
There, we had the good fortune of meeting an experienced stargazer who had brought along a powerful telescope. He generously allowed strangers to peer through it and even shared his phone contact with many of us. Through his updates, we were able to follow all the phases of the eclipse as it unfolded - a gesture that truly enhanced the magic of the night.
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| The stargazer who shared all the sightings with the public, |
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| Time at 20:10 |
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| Time at 20:36 |
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| Time at 20:45 - Beginning of Blood Moon. |
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| Time at 20:52 |
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| Time at 20:57 |
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| Time at 21:25 - Full Eclipse |
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| Time at 21:36 |
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| Time at 22:14 |
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