Be ready for a Spectacular 'Super Flower Blood Moon' & Lunar Eclipse this May!

Gracing the night sky in all its glory on May 26, a spectacular “super flower blood moon” lunar eclipse is quickly approaching.

The full moon this month will appear redder, bigger and brighter than usual, as the rare simultaneous occurrence of a supermoon and a lunar eclipse taking place in on May 26, 2021. May’s full moon is the second of two supermoons in 2021, with the previous one taking place this past April (see photo from Facebook below!)

According to NASA, a blood moon occurs during a total lunar eclipse, when the Earth is positioned directly between the moon and the sun, hiding the moon from sunlight. It’s named for its red glow. 

Skygazers in the Lowcountry should be treated to a good view of the biggest and brightest supermoon of the year despite not getting a chance to see the full lunar eclipse. While the supermoon will take place throughout the world, the total lunar eclipse on the same date will only be visible across parts of the western Americas. Don’t worry if you’re not located in the best place to spot the eclipse. The Virtual Telescope Project will have a live feed of the entire event, starting at 3 a.m. PT on May 26. 

According to NASA, the peak of the eclipse will last for about 14 minutes, but the entire event will last about five hours, from 08:47:39 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) to 13:49:41 UTC. It will peak at 11:19:52 UTC.


Amazing cover photo of the moon over the Beaufort river by Keith Wood