The Next Lunar Eclipse Will Be Visible From Wyoming And You Won’t Want To Miss Out
Wyomingites may hear the word “eclipse” and instantly groan. After all, it wasn’t long ago that our state was completely overrun with tourists hoping to watch a total solar eclipse. Restaurants were packed, hotels were booked months in advance, and for the first time in decades, we dealt with traffic! Well, buckle up, Wyoming because another eclipse is on the way. Luckily, this one is visible from a much wider area, and we shouldn’t expect too many tourists to head to Wyoming in the dead of winter to see the January Super Blood Wolf Moon Eclipse.
Wyoming is renowned for being one of the darkest states in the country, and stargazers travel for miles to see the Milky Way like never before.
This January, Wyomingites will want to turn their eyes to the skies for a rare phenomenon: a Total Lunar Eclipse
What makes this celestial display even more unusual is that it's an eclipse of a Super Wolf Moon... so you'll be seeing a Super Blood Wolf Moon when you glance towards the heavens on January 20th.
A Super Moon occurs when a full moon's orbit brings it closest to earth, making the moon larger and brighter than normal. A Wolf moon is the name used for the first full moon of the year, and a Blood Moon occurs when the earth's shadow casts a bright red color.
A Wolf Moon is simply the name used for the first full moon of a calendar year.
For five hours, you'll be able to see this phenomenon in action. Starting Sunday, January 20th, 2019 at 7:36 PM, the earth's shadow will cast on our moon. By 10:12 PM, the Moon will be in totality. As the night goes on, the shadow will move away, and the moon will return to normal by 12:48 AM on Monday.
While the Total Lunar Eclipse will be visible from the continental United States, Wyoming is a particularly great spot to view it, thanks to our dark skies far from city lights.
Don't forget to set your alarms and stay up for this - the next Total Lunar Eclipse won't occur until May 26th, 2021.
Head to your favorite state park or wilderness area to be sure you have a front row seat. You won't need any special equipment to spot this incredible display, but be sure to bundle up!
Kim Magaraci graduated Rutgers University with a degree in Geography and has spent the last seven years as a freelance travel writer. Contact: kmagaraci@onlyinyourstate.com
