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Super Blue Blood Moon mesmerizes stargazers

Wednesday, 31 January 2018 5:27 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 31 January 2018 5:27 PM ]

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The moon in total eclipse is seen from Legazpi City, Albay province, south of Manila on January 31, 2018. (Photo by AFP)

It was super, it was blue and yet it was blood red; the moon was mesmerizing tonight to any observer who was lucky enough to catch a sight.

Skywatchers all over the world looked at the night sky with endless joy on Wednesday to celebrate their once-in-a-lifetime chance of watching the first Super Blue Blood Moon in more than 150 years.

The spectacular event is a celestial convergence of a Blue Moon, a total lunar eclipse and a supermoon, hence the name.

WATCH: The first '#SuperBlueBloodMoon' in over 150 years pic.twitter.com/hmMMhPtW99
— Press TV (@PressTV) January 31, 2018

A supermoon is when a full moon occurs at the closest point in its orbit to Earth and as a result appears larger and at least 14 percent brighter than normal.

The Blue Moon is the rare instance when a full moon occurs for the second time in the same calendar month. The full moon on January 31 was the second of its kind in January, as the first one took place on New Year's Eve. So now you know where the saying "once in a blue moon" comes from.

Completing this Lunar Trilogy, as NASA calls it, is the Blood Moon, which refers to the reddish hue that the moon takes on during a complete lunar eclipse.

A view of the Super Blue Blood Moon rising over the USS Midway in San Diego, California, January 31, 2018. (Photo by AFP)

The red color is because of the way the moon is illuminated by sunlight. In more scientific terms, it is the result of a phenomenon called Rayleigh scattering, the same reason the sky looks blue.

Stargazers in Iran made sure they don't miss the lunar trifecta, although the eclipse began early at 15:18 local time and lasted until 17:27, giving them a narrow window after the moonrise.

In Tehran, space enthusiasts braved extremely cold weather and waited patiently outside to catch a glimpse.

Tehran's Book Garden also held a public event, inviting people from all walks of life to spend an hour observing the breathtaking moon using telescopes and binoculars. Some social media users shared their experience online.

"Lying down on the frozen roof, I'm looking at the sky while slowly turning into an icicle," wrote one user. "That's the correct way of observing the Super Blue Blood Moon."

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