Wolf moon, second supermoon, and lunar eclipse all on the January astronomy calendar

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      People who enjoy gazing at the skies are in for a treat in January, as long as the clouds don't get in the way.

      The so-called Wolf Moon will appear on the night of January 1.

      Also known as the Old Moon or Ice Moon, it's the first full moon of the year. It received its name because this is the time when wolves howl loudly to their pack mates.

      The January 1 celestial event is known as a supermoon. This term describes a full moon that's closest to Earth in its elliptical orbit.

      This makes these moons appear to be about 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than full moons that occur farther away from Earth.

      It will peak at 6:24 p.m. Pacific standard time.

      “The supermoons are a great opportunity for people to start looking at the Moon, not just that once but every chance they have,” Goddard Space Flight Center research scientist Noah Petro says on the NASA website.

      This video offers insights into the three supermoons in December and January.
      ScienceAtNASA

      There's another supermoon scheduled on January 31, which will be accompanied by a total lunar eclipse.

      The eclipse will be visible from western North America to Eastern Asia.

      NASA says that this occurs when the full moon lines up with the Earth and the sun, which causes the Earth's shadow to block the sun's light.

      At this time, according to NASA, the moon "will lose its brightness and take on an eerie fainter-than-normal glow from the scant sunlight that makes its way through the Earth's atmosphere".

      That can result in the moon being "cast in a reddish hue because of the way the atmosphere bends the light".

      This is why these rarer supermoons are called "blood moons".

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