Super blue blood moon around the world – in pictures

In some areas of the world the lunar trifecta happens only once every 150 years

The partially-eclipsed moon rises against a crescent mounted on Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan. B.K. Bangash / AP Photo.

Photographers take in a view of the super blue blood moon as it sets over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP Photo.

The moon rises above the Camlica Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. Sedat Suna / EPA.

The super blue blood moon rises behind the 2,500-year-old Parthenon temple on the Acropolis of Athens, Greece. Petros Giannakouris / AP Photo.

View of the super moon over a forest fire in Corralero, Oaxaca state, Mexico. Mario Arturo Martínez / EPA.

A view of the super moon in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Antonio Lacerda / EPA.

The super blue blood moon sets before dawn as lava cascades down the slopes of the Mayon volcano, near Manila, Philippines. Bullit Marquez / EPA.

The moon is seen during the lunar eclipse in Chennai, India. Arun Sankar / AFP Photo.

This composite image shows the moon during a lunar eclipse referred to as the "super blue blood moon" in Tokyo, Japan. Kazuhiro NOogi / AFP Photo.

The moon rises over the Chugach Mountains in Anchorage, Alaska. Dan Joling / AP Photo.

A flock of birds flies over the sky of Rome, Italy. Massimo Percossi / EPA.

A moon rises over the Old Town in Prague, Czech Republic. Martin Divisek / EPA.

Delta flight 1789 from Atlanta to Jacksonville transits across the super moon over the evening sky in Georgia, USA. John David Mercer-/ USA Today.

A 'super moon' rises over the Andes mountain range in Santiago, Chile. Pablo Sanhueza / Reuters.

The super blue blood moon rises over the city of Perth, Australia. Richard Wainwright / EPA.

The super moon rises over Chinese signs reading 'Beijing' atop a building in Beijing, China. Damir Sagolj / Reuters.

The moon rises behind the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand . Sakchai Lalit/ AP Photo.

The super blue blood moon is seen between British and Chinese flags raised at Tiananmen square in Beijing as British Prime Minister Theresa May visits China's capital Damir Sagolj / Reuters.

As far as lunar events go, a single phenomenon usually draws crowds to gaze upwards at a specific time. But on January 31, the world was captivated by a rare lunar "trifecta" – where three phenomena occurred all at once.

The "super blue blood moon" was visible over several continents, comprising a total lunar eclipse, a super moon and a blue moon.

In some regions of the world, it was the first such event in 150 years – but not in the Middle East.

The last time this part of the world saw a super blue blood moon was on December 30, 1982.

Regardless, it's a rare event. Once in a (super) blue (blood) moon, some might say.

What is a super blue blood moon?

A super moon is a full moon that appears larger than usual, because the moon is at its closest distance to Earth. Of the dozen or so new moons that occur each year, two or three will become super moons.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly behind the Earth – into its shadow – and can only happen when the sun, Earth and moon are perfectly aligned, with the Earth in the middle. The last partial eclipse in the Emirates was in August.

This is not to be confused with a solar eclipse, which is when the moon is in the middle, blocking the sun.

As the moon takes its place in the Earth's shadow, it will take on a reddish hue – which is where the blood moon comes in.

A blue moon, although the subject of a popular idiom you've likely heard from your mother on the rarity of an event, is arguably the most common occurrence. Its two definitions are used almost interchangeably – as the third full moon in a season that has four full moons, or the second full moon in a calendar month – and it has absolutely no correlation to the actual colour of the moon.

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Read more:

Super blue blood moon in the UAE - in pictures 

PODCAST: UAE in a minute for January 31, 2018

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