LIHUE — Padraic Gallagher was among those who gathered at the Ahukini Landing coastline Monday night.
He was trying to photograph the supermoon, or Wolf Moon, that was scheduled to rise shortly after 6 p.m., battling clouds and mists that threatened to obscure the moonrise. In the waning light, whales frolicked among the wind-driven chop, adding to the excitement of the moonrise.
“Eight seconds,” said Gallagher, American Red Cross, Kauai Branch director. “I’m trying to get a photo of the buoy when it flashes. I’ve got it down, but haven’t been able to get a shot.”
January will bring in two supermoons — one on Jan. 1, and the other on Jan. 31.
“If there is such a thing as a Super Bowl for amateur astronomers, it’s happening in January 2018,” said Len Melisurgo for NJ.com. “The new year is ringing in with two rare ‘supermoons’ — including one that will be a ‘blue moon,’ or the second full moon in a calendar month. This one will have a lunar eclipse — all in the same month.”
The second supermoon of 2018, the blue moon, will be at its fullest phase at 3:27 a.m. Melisurgo suggests that the ideal time to view the supermoon is on the night of Jan. 30, or the night of Jan. 31.
The Penumbral Eclipse, or when the Earth’s penumbra starts touch the moon’s face starts at 12:51 a.m., Jan. 31 with the maximum eclipse taking place at 3:29 a.m., Jan. 31, according to time and date.com.
