This Weekend’s Super Blood Wolf Moon … or Something Like That

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2019/01/IMG_7495_Weigel.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:1920;s:6:"height";i:1080;s:4:"file";s:27:"2019/01/IMG_7495_Weigel.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:13:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"IMG_7495_Weigel-336x189.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:189;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"IMG_7495_Weigel-771x434.jpg";s:5:"width";i:771;s:6:"height";i:434;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"IMG_7495_Weigel-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:12:"medium_large";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"IMG_7495_Weigel-768x432.jpg";s:5:"width";i:768;s:6:"height";i:432;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"1536x1536";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:28:"IMG_7495_Weigel-1536x864.jpg";s:5:"width";i:1536;s:6:"height";i:864;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:25:"IMG_7495_Weigel-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"IMG_7495_Weigel-600x338.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"IMG_7495_Weigel-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"IMG_7495_Weigel-553x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:553;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"IMG_7495_Weigel-470x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:470;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"IMG_7495_Weigel-600x400.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"IMG_7495_Weigel-600x600.jpg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:600;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:27:"IMG_7495_Weigel-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 0
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:4:"full";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:3959128;s:14:"optimized_size";i:230270;s:7:"percent";d:94.180000000000007;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:6733;s:14:"optimized_size";i:6316;s:7:"percent";d:6.1900000000000004;}s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:15454;s:14:"optimized_size";i:14663;s:7:"percent";d:5.1200000000000001;}s:5:"large";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:52959;s:14:"optimized_size";i:50602;s:7:"percent";d:4.4500000000000002;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:3012;s:14:"optimized_size";i:2789;s:7:"percent";d:7.4000000000000004;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:36198;s:14:"optimized_size";i:34651;s:7:"percent";d:4.2699999999999996;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:19287;s:14:"optimized_size";i:18368;s:7:"percent";d:4.7599999999999998;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:32021;s:14:"optimized_size";i:30576;s:7:"percent";d:4.5099999999999998;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:25400;s:14:"optimized_size";i:24205;s:7:"percent";d:4.7000000000000002;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:13:"original_size";i:5680;s:14:"optimized_size";i:5311;s:7:"percent";d:6.5;}}s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:4155872;s:14:"optimized_size";i:417751;s:7:"percent";d:89.950000000000003;}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Mary Scott Hodgin
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] =>  WBHM
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

)
1654725990 
1547805753

Alabamians, along with millions of people in many parts of the world, are getting ready for a show Sunday night. There will be a total lunar eclipse. Some call it a ‘super blood wolf moon.’ David Weigel, director of the Christenberry Planetarium at Samford University, says the event is exciting, but he would not use that name.

“It is billed as a ‘super blood wolf moon,'” he says, “which is all sorts of nonsense.”

Weigel has a different idea.

“Maybe the more exciting term would be perigee syzygy,” he says. “That would be the scientific term for this.”

In less scientific language, this eclipse features what is called a super moon. The moon will appear slightly bigger because it will be around its closest point to earth. This weekend’s event is also a total eclipse, so the sun, earth and moon are in perfect alignment. The earth blocks direct sunlight from reaching the moon. Weigel says the light that does hit the moon is bent through the earth’s atmosphere.

“So it’s as if you have all of the sunsets of the earth shining on the moon at the same time and that turns it red,” Weigel says.

That red tint is why some people are calling it a “blood moon.” A “wolf moon” is the name sometimes given to the full moon in January.

Call it a super blood wolf moon or perigee syzygy. Either way, check it out in the night sky this Sunday. The total eclipse will last a little over an hour, starting just after 10:40 PM. In Birmingham, there will be public viewing parties at Samford University and Oak Mountain State Park.

The next total lunar eclipse will happen in May of 2021.

 

Pope Leo criticizes political nationalism and prays for reconciliation and dialogue

The pope celebrated Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square in front of tens of thousands faithful, and asked the Holy Spirit to "break down barriers and tear down the walls of indifference and hatred."

Palestinians say at least five people killed by Israeli gunfire near Gaza aid centers

Palestinian health officials and witnesses say at least five people were killed and others were wounded by Israeli fire as they headed to two aid distribution points in the Gaza Strip.

Troops arrive in LA as Trump sends National Guard to curb immigration raid protests

In Paramount, Calif., confrontations between immigration enforcement agents and protestors last week led to arrests and the use of flash-bang explosives and pepper spray by law enforcement.

India (and its kids) are out to conquer the world of chess

Chess is seeing a global resurgence, sparked by The Queen's Gambit and the pandemic impact on leisure time. India is an emerging power player, with 85 grandmasters and intense chess schools for youth.

Colombian Presidential hopeful shot at Bogotá rally

A Colombian Presidential hopeful in critical condition after being shot during a campaign rally in Bogotá on Saturday. The assassination attempt is having a chilling effect in Colombia where security has been backsliding recently.

How a network of women in Latin America transformed safe, self-managed abortions

An underground network of feminists and activists developed new models of care for abortion that eventually helped legalize abortion in countries across Latin America.

More Front Page Coverage