The moon will do something it hasn’t done in 36 years Wednesday. Here’s how to watch

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the last time a “super blue blood moon” occurred in the U.S. While the lunar phenomenon indeed happened in 1982, it hasn’t been visible in the United States since March 31, 1886.

This Wednesday will mark a lunar triple-feature not observed in the United States since 1886.

Better catch it while you can, because it’s not scheduled to happen again until 2037.

What is it?

It’s called a “super blue blood moon” – the combination of three not-so-unusual lunar events (a blue moon, a supermoon and a blood moon, otherwise known as a lunar eclipse).

A blue moon refers to when there are two full moons in one calendar month – for reference, January’s first full moon was on New Year’s Day.

A supermoon refers to when the moon is closest to the earth, making it appear larger and approximately 14 percent brighter.

Then, finally, a blood moon refers to the phenomenon when the moon is in the earth’s shadow, casting a reddish tint on the moon.

The “super blue blood moon” is also known as the “purple eclipse.”

It was last observed in 1982, but it was visible primarily over Africa.

When can I see it?

You’re going to have to wake up a little early on Wednesday to witness the super blue blood moon, as it’s scheduled to peak between 6:15 and 6:30 a.m. in the Central Time Zone.

According to NASA, the penumbra – or the lighter part of Earth’s shadow – will touch the moon starting at 4:51 a.m., and by 6:15 a.m. the moon will appear to have a reddish tint.

Here in Wichita, you’ll only be able to see a partial event, as sunrise will cause the moon to set.

Harold Henderson, director of the Lake Afton Public Observatory, said it’s unknown whether low-level clouds that morning might obscure the moon entirely.

“When the moon finally becomes completely covered by the Earth’s shadow, it’s not going to be very high above the horizon, and sunrise will be coming along in 30 to 35 minutes,” he said. “It’ll be really easy for people to lose the moon at that point.”

Those living in the western United States, Australia and eastern Asia have a better chance at seeing more of the eclipse.

To get the full experience – albeit through a screen – both NASA and the Virtual Telescope Project are planning to stream the eclipse live. NASA plans to stream from 4:30-10:30 a.m. CST.

The next time Wichitans will get a prime opportunity to watch a lunar eclipse should come in late January 2020, according to Henderson.

Do I need special eyewear to watch it?

No, this isn’t like the solar eclipse, where the threat of vision damage spurred many purchases of eclipse glasses.

You should be able to see the moon clearly in the sky, though a telescope will certainly add to the excitement.

This story was originally published January 29, 2018 at 2:43 PM with the headline "The moon will do something it hasn’t done in 36 years Wednesday. Here’s how to watch."