New Zealanders had front row seats to the first 'real' blood supermoon in over 40 years and it did not disappoint. Video / NZ Herald
Kiwi stargazers were treated to a "spectacular" and "once-in-a-lifetime" lunar spectacular overnight as the blood supermoon rose into the night sky.
Amateur astronomers across the country spent much of the night gazing into the stars to catch a glimpse of the event.
Auckland resident Bruce Bradburn said the blood supermoon was "absolutely spectacular".
"The incredible thing was not just the moon but the whole night sky, the stars. As the moon got darker, you could see more and more stars. The sky began to light up in a way I've never seen before in Auckland.
He said around 11.05pm, it turned "quite brilliant red".
"It was really moving."
Photo / Stovan Campion
Renee Mason in Pureora Forest, north of Taupō, said just after the 10pm the moon was turning a deep red colour.
"It's red on one side and white on the other."
She said there was also a "ridiculous" amount of stars.
"I've never seen the Milky Way in this detail. There are thousands of stars out."
Weather conditions were good for viewing the moon, with clear skies across much of the country.
Super flower blood moon total lunar eclipse begins. Photo / Michael Craig
Super flower blood moon total lunar eclipse at 9:59pm. Photo / Michael Craig
Super flower blood moon total lunar eclipse at 10:10pm. Photo / Michael Craig
Super flower blood moon total lunar eclipse at 10:31pm. Photo / Michael Craig
Super flower blood moon total lunar eclipse at 10:41pm. Photo / Michael Craig
Super flower blood moon total lunar eclipse at 10:53pm. Photo / Michael Craig
Super flower blood moon total lunar eclipse at 11:17pm. Photo / Michael Craig
Super flower blood moon total lunar eclipse at 11:29pm. Photo / Michael Craig
Photo / George Heard
Images of the glowing white sphere low on the horizon have been sent in by Herald readers.
One shows it silhouetted against Auckland's Sky Tower. Another shows it hovering above Wellington's Oriental Parade.
The moon rising over the Pureora forest in the central North Island. Photo / Renee Mason
The lunar eclipse started officially at 8.47pm but the real show did not happen until 11.11pm when a total lunar eclipse made the giant moon flush red.
Steven, an astronomer near Kaitaia, earlier told Newstalk ZB the moon would most likely be a salmon pink colour, rather than red.
"I could be wrong, I don't think it will be real red. Salmon pink more likely," he said.
"The moon is in the constellation of Scorpio and just to the right of the moon is a bright red star called Antares.
"If people are seeing a halo, it's because of the moisture in the atmosphere and the moon's light being refracted through those drops of water. But if the sky is clear there's no halo."
He said he didn't think you'd be able to see any colour until the moon had fully eclipsed as the light of the moon would be too bright.
Milla waiting for something to happen. Photo / Ella Wilks
Mt Wellington, Auckland resident Vivek Masoji said at 10.55pm less than eighth of the moon remained.
The observatory is home to the largest unmodified refractor telescope still in use in New Zealand, built in 1901.
Whangamatā resident Bronnie Baxter said the moon was massive as it rose over the ocean near Hauturu/Clark Island.
"It's just really clear and white and beautiful. It definitely has a nice aura about it."
Photo / Bronwyn Baxter
The moon was so bright it could be seen through the clouds, she said.
"We can't wait to watch it do its thing later," she said, adding that she was keeping her kids up for the 11.11pm viewing.
View from Christchurch. Photo / George Heard
Hamilton resident John Doran watched the moon rise in the crystal clear Waikato sky with wife Emily, 8-year-old daughter Keeva and five-year-old son Joe.
"There was much awe-inspiring sounds from the little kids."
The first thing Joe – who is obsessed with stars, planets and dinosaurs – said was 'wow the moon [is] orange'.
What is a blood supermoon?
A supermoon occurs when the Moon is at the closest point in its orbit around Earth. Photo / Michael Craig
We can think of it as the combination of two lunar spectacles.
Blood moons - also known as total lunar eclipses - occur when the Earth lines up between the Moon and the Sun.
This hides the Moon from sunlight and blocks most of the blue light, with the remaining light refracting onto the Moon's surface and causing a red glow.
View from West Harbour in Auckland earlier tonight. Photo / Charles Joe
"Red light is often seen during sunset because we view it through the thicker parts of Earth's atmosphere, and being of a longer wavelength, more red light gets through," Stardome Observatory expert John Rowe said.
"When the Moon goes into Earth's shadow, the reddish light passing through Earth's atmosphere around the limb of Earth refracts onto the Moon, creating a blood-red colour across the lunar surface.
Getting ready for the blood supermoon. Photo / Supplied
"Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are completely fine to view with the naked eye."
A "supermoon", meanwhile, occurs when the Moon is at the closest point in its orbit around Earth - making it appear about 14 per cent larger than a normal full Moon and around 30 per cent brighter.
How rare is it?
During every 27-day orbit around Earth, the Moon reaches both its perigee, about 363,300km from Earth, and its farthest point, or apogee, about 405,500km from Earth.
Total lunar eclipses are relatively common - the next one after tonight's is May 15-16, although it won't be visible from New Zealand.
Supermoons are more common still - one was visible only a month ago.
There are also two super new moons - or when a new moon is at its closest point to Earth - on November 4 and December 5.
The rare blood supermoon begins to rise in the skies above Auckland. Photo / Liam Dann
But it's the combination of a total lunar eclipse and a supermoon that's rare.
The eclipse takes place just a few hours after the Moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth on its orbit, making it a "Super Flower Blood Moon".
Stardome has reported the last "blood supermoon" visible from New Zealand was December, 1982 - but a "blood supermoon" also occurred on January 31, 2018, and could be seen here.
Supermoon rises over Auckland CBD. Photo / Michael Craig
Yet there's no single, specific and universally recognised definition of a supermoon, which isn't a formal astronomical term.
Nasa says a "supermoon" can be used to describe a full Moon that comes within at least 90 per cent of perigee.
