Two ‘Supermoons’ This Month

Supermoons, blue moon, lunar eclipse: January to bring dazzling array of spectacles in the night sky.

Manila, Philippines, MINA — Two “supermoons” can be seen this month, Philstar reported, citing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The first, dubbed as the wolf moon, emerges on New Year’s Day. The second will surface on Jan. 31 and will be “extra special.”

A supermoon is a phenomenon that occurs when a full moon coincides with the moon being its closest to the earth in its orbit.

The full moon can appear as much as 14 percent larger in the sky and 30 percent brighter to people’s eyes than at minimum size and brightness.

Moon-gazing will be twice the fun in the grand finale by the end of January, when a very rare “super blue blood moon” will appear, NASA said.

The Jan. 31 supermoon will surface with a total lunar eclipse, giving the moon a reddish glow due to sunlight reflected by the earth’s atmosphere. (T/RS5/RS1)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)