Super Blue Blood Moon Lights Night Sky in Southeast Asia

Pimuk Rakkanam, M. Sulthan Azzam and Rina Chadijah
2018.01.31
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A wide-angle image shows the full lunar eclipse on Cha-am beach in Southern Thailand’s Phetchaburi province, Jan. 31, 2018. (Pimuk Rakkanam/BenarNews)

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Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency staff and others observe the moon from the landmark clock tower Jam Gadang in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Jan. 31, 2018. (M. Sulthan Azzam/BenarNews)

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Muslim women pray during the eclipse at the National Monument compound in Jakarta. (Rina Chadijah/BenarNews)

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People photograph the rising super moon on Cha-am beach in Southern Thailand, Jan. 31, 2018. (Pimuk Rakkanam/BenarNews)

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A child sits while adults pray at the National Monument compound in Jakarta, Jan. 31, 2018. (Rina Chadijah/BenarNews)

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Thousands witness the phenomenon from the National Monument, Central Jakarta, Indonesia, Jan. 31, 2018. (Rina Chadijah/BenarNews)

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A photographer interested in astronomy takes pictures of the rising moon on Cha-am beach in Southern Thailand, Jan. 31, 2018. (Pimuk Rakkanam/BenarNews)

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Stages of the eclipse observed at Jam Gadang compound in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, Indonesia, Jan. 31, 2018. (M. Sulthan Azzam/BenarNews)

Clouds in the sky over Jakarta did not darken the enthusiasm of crowds who gathered to witness the Super Blue Blood Moon for about 15 minutes Wednesday night.

The combination lunar eclipse, blue moon and super moon occurred for the first time in 152 years, drawing Thais and tourists to watch the spectacle at Cha-am beach in Southern Thailand’s Petchburi province and other spots throughout the country.

The cosmic event was also visible in Australia, Asia and parts of Russia.

A super moon occurs when it is at or near its closest point to earth, a blue moon is the second full moon of a month and a blood moon occurs during an eclipse when the earth casts a red tint on it.

Crowds gathered at the National Monument in the central Jakarta, where two telescopes were provided. Throughout Indonesia, Muslims performed special prayers to mark the event. The Planetarium in Taman Ismail Marzuki, in Cikini, Central Jakarta, provided 16 telescopes for visitors to view the celestial event.

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