Total lunar eclipse: Here’s how to watch this weekend’s rare ‘super flower blood moon’

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — You’ll want to look to the night sky this weekend to check out the first lunar eclipse of the year.

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“Eclipses have been kind of important for human history for thousands of years, you know. It’s something that’s kind of odd, strange. It’s just a fairly rare event,” said Derek Demeter, director of Emil Buehler Planetarium at Seminole State College.

The college is hosting a viewing party for the event.

A lunar eclipse only happens once or twice a year. It’s when the moon, Earth and sun align.

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“It’s really, really cool,” Demeter said. “I mean, how often do you get to see the moon change into a red, blood red color?”

This lunar eclipse is a little different. Much of the U.S. will see what’s called the “super flower blood moon.”

This month’s full moon is a “super moon,” meaning it looks bigger and brighter than usual because it’s at the closest point to Earth in its orbit.

The “flower” part comes from the May full moon’s spring-themed nickname.

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Unlike with a solar eclipse, you don’t need any eye protection.

“No health hazards other than just amazement and excitement,” Demeter said.

The best time to view the lunar eclipse is between 11:30 p.m. Sunday and 1 a.m. Monday.

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