Rare Super Blood Moon to Appear on Sunday: What to Expect

Another rare astronomical phenomenon will be dominating the sky on Sunday in the form of a supermoon. This will be the last appearance of the one-of-a-kind lunar eclipse until 2033, according to a report from the New York Times.

Mashable notes that during this special cosmic event, the "moon will actually be at its closest point to Earth in its orbit," making it look 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than the average full moon.

According to the New York Times, what makes this cosmic appearance special is because it is a combination of two phenomena: a supermoon and a lunar eclipse. Even though when separated, the two are normal incidences in the sky, when combined, the two become a rare sighting.

The news outlet further states that the moon will look like it will have a red hue. However, there will be certain locations where the moon's red tint will be much more visible such as in most parts of North America, particularly the East Coast.

At about 8:11 p.m. ET, the "partial phase" of the phenomena will begin. During this time, stargazers and observers can see the Earth slowly casting a shadow over the moon. However, it does not end there. At about 10:11 p.m. ET with peak at 10:47 p.m. ET, according to NASA, the Earth will completely shadow the moon, and the latter will reveal a red tint from the refracted sunlight through the planet's atmosphere.

Even though observers can simply look up to the sky during these times to witness the super moon, the New York Times notes other locations where you can stargaze better.

There will be a free viewing at the Intrepid Museum from its perch at Pier 86 on the Hudson River. Observers can head over there and stargaze with astronomers and high-powered telescopes.

The Amateur Astronomers Association of New York will also be organizing free stargazing events with free use of telescopes and binoculars. One of the association's locations is the High Line. Marcelo Cabrera, the organization's president, even said, “People can ask questions, and we can answer the questions right there."

NASA program scientist Dr. Sarah Noble explains on what the people will about to witness. “You’re basically seeing all of the sunrises and sunsets across the world, all at once, being reflected off the surface of the moon,” she said.

She also added that phenomenon like this is a good thing as it "tend[s] to get more people interested in astronomy" and urges young kids to go out and look at the skies. “It leads to conversations about what else is up there,” she concluded.