Lunar Eclipse Creates Stunning Blood Moon for Sky Gazers

Millions of people around the world were watching the sky late last night, hoping to catch a glimpse of the "blood moon"

Blood Moon photos by Jennifer Fierberg, Denver, CO.; Lunar eclipse photo by Ken Grandlund, Oceanside, CO.

(SALEM) -

Photo by Jenn Fierberg

The "Blood moon" is a sight only witnessed during a total lunar eclipse, when the Earth spins between the sun and the moon. The shadow of the Earth catches the refracted light from the sun, and the moon has a reddish, almost copper-color sheen cast upon it.

Though the blood moon was to be most prominent in North and South America, most of the United States was cloud-covered and the spectacle was hidden from view. Everywhere, people stood and stared up at the clouds above, hoping they would part for the blood moon to show through from 11 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. PT.

Luckily, some cities had clear skies and the sky gazers there made the most of it.

Near Guajome Lake, in Oceanside, California, Ken Grandlund stayed up late to catch the show and was able to capture the entire lunar eclipse (see his photo montage below).

"I dragged out my camera and took a new picture every ten minutes or so for just over an hour. The eclipse was cool, but it never got red from my POV," Grandlund said.

"Of course, it might have turned red as it was coming back into view- I just didn't want to stay up for an extra hour to find out!"

In Denver, Colorado, Jennifer Fierberg had a beautiful view of the moon in it's full "red regalia". Denver was one of the handful of cities with spectacular photo opportunities.

Fierberg got a terrific photo of the moon in red (see above). "It was a freaking amazing lunar eclipse!"

The blood moon was an unknown phenomenon until a few centuries ago. Then, according to Fred Espenak, a NASA eclipse expert, there was a 300-year period when there were no blood moons at all.

There are three more chances to see a blood moon in the near future, making a tetrad. "The most unique thing about the 2014-2015 tetrad is that all of them are visible for all or parts of the USA," Espenak said.

The next blood moons visible to North America will happen on October 8th, 2014, April 4th, and September 28th, 2015.

After that, the next blood moon is in 2032. You might want to stay up late when this October 8th rolls around.

We'll put in our order early for clear skies and calm weather.

April 14-15, 2014 "Lunar Eclipse" by Ken Grandlund