By now, you may have heard that a landmark celestial event 150 years in the making will occur on January 31, and Texans will have a front-row seat. This month, three notable lunar events will coincide to create what has been dubbed the Super Blood Moon. This event is rare because it involves a Blue Moon, (this occurs when two full moons appear during the same month. The upcoming super full moon is actually considered the final phase in a trilogy of super full moons, the first of which appeared on December 3, 2017) a Supermoon, and a Lunar eclipse. The eclipse is what will give the moon its reddish or “bloody” appearance.
To find out how to best see this once in a lifetime event, continue reading below!
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According to NASA, Alaska, Hawaii, and the western region of the United States will have the best opportunity to witness the entire Lunar eclipse. Unfortunately, east coast inhabitants will only be able to view a small portion of it before moonset, but the central time zone, including Texas, should be able to witness a significant portion of the event. NASA states a supermoon will rise on January 30, and at approximately 4:51 a.m., the earth’s shadow will begin to be visible on the moon’s surface to mark the beginning of the eclipse.
From that time until the moon sets at 7 a.m., residents of the Lone Star State should be able to watch as the moon takes on a reddish tint. A spokesperson for NASA went on to note the best viewing time would be from 6:15 a.m. to 6:30 a.m. However, sunrise and a lightening sky will make watching the eclipse move into totality and beyond virtually impossible.
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Barring any cloud cover, Texans’ view of this spectacular event should be relatively uninhibited, however, NASA did offer some suggestions for finding the perfect viewing spot. “Again, you’ll have more success if you can go to a high place with a clear view to the West,” said Gordon Johnston, a lunar blogger, and NASA Headquarter’s program executive.
While this information is important, it is also somewhat vague. Thankfully, vacationsmadeeasy.com has assembled a list of the best places for stargazing across the state. Here are those that can be found right here in Hill Country.
- Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, Fredericksburg, Texas
- Colorado Bend State Park, Bend, Texas
- Canyon of the Eagles Resort, Burnet, Texas
- Pedernales Falls State Park, Johnson City, Texas
To be considered for the list, locations had to offer minimal light pollution from nearby cities and have unobscured views of the night sky. One site, the Canyon of the Eagles Resort, even goes so far as to include an observatory that furnishes various telescopes for guests to use free of charge.