Super Blood Wolf Moon: 12 of the Most Stunning Photos Captured

Sunday night saw perhaps one of the most impressively-titled celestial events. The super blood wolf moon total lunar eclipse, or super blood great spirit total lunar eclipse, was the combination of a larger moon than normal and a total lunar eclipse, with the “blood” referencing its reddish color as it passes over the night sky. Despite the trickiness of getting a decent photo, camera-ready lunar fans managed to snap some impressive images of the moon.

The multitude of events occurring at once make this exceptionally rare. A “super moon,” which occurs one in every four full moons, is one that’s bigger and brighter than normal. A total lunar eclipse only takes place around 5.6 percent of full moons, which means that this moon only happens around 1.4 percent of the time there’s a full moon.

At around 10:34 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, the Earth started to move between the sun and the moon to form a total lunar eclipse, casting a shadow over the moon. The moon had a reddish glow due to the light from the sun passing through the atmosphere and just about touching the moon, filtering out shorter wavelengths. At around 11:41 p.m., the eclipse reached totality.

“The total phase on this one lasts 62 minutes, which is pretty good,” Rice University astronomer Patrick M. Hartigan, Ph.D. told Inverse prior to the event. “The maximum is something like 106 minutes as I recall.”

Capturing the moon with a photo requires careful planning. Users normally need a tripod to hold the camera, as the small amounts of light will mean using a slower shutter speed to register more photons onto the sensor. Using a slower shutter speed can smear images due to camera wobble, something a tripod can reduce. More advanced users can take advantage of a remote to control the shutter, reducing wobble even further, and a telescopic lens to zoom in closer on the moon.

Here are some of the best results from the eclipse:

12. Strong Colors Through the Trees

11. Deer in Frame

10. Starry Night

9. Detailed View

8. Smartphone Attempt

7. Two-Tone Moon

6. Pink Moon

5. Dark Side of the Moon

4. Lonely Moon in the Sky

3. Shining Bright

2. Moving Through Phases

1. Moon Rising Over Texas

Related video: NASA Explains Lunar Eclipses