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What Was the January 31, 2018 Lunar Eclipse

What Was the January 31, 2018 Lunar Eclipse

A woman in Kyoto stood on her balcony at 9:48 PM, watching the moon turn the color of dried blood. She had been told this was a sūper mūn, a burū mūn, a buraddo mūn — three labels for one sky. Across the Pacific, a family in Los Angeles woke at 4:30 AM, their children wrapped in blankets, to see the same shadow creep across the lunar face. The lunar eclipse of January 31, 2018, began its partial phase at 11:48 UTC and reached totality at 13:51 UTC, with the entire event visible across western North America, eastern Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Ocean. It was the first total lunar eclipse of 2018, the first of two that year, and the first time in 150 years that a total lunar eclipse coincided with a blue moon and a supermoon in the same night.

How Did the Supermoon, Blue Moon, and Blood Moon Converge

How Did the Supermoon, Blue Moon, and Blood Moon Converge

The January 31, 2018 lunar eclipse was a total eclipse visible across the Pacific Rim, lasting 1 hour and 16 minutes of totality, and marked the rare convergence of a supermoon, blue moon, and blood moon in a single event.

What exactly was the January 31, 2018 lunar eclipse?

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align in a straight line, with Earth positioned exactly between the other two. The Moon passes through Earth’s umbra — the full, dark shadow — and takes on a reddish hue from sunlight refracted through Earth’s atmosphere. That red light is the same physics that gives us red sunrises and sunsets: shorter wavelengths (blue) scatter, longer wavelengths (red) bend around the planet and reach the Moon.

The January 31, 2018 eclipse was total. The Moon entered the penumbra (the faint outer shadow) at 10:51 UTC, entered the umbra at 11:48 UTC, reached totality at 13:51 UTC, and exited the umbra at 15:08 UTC. Totality lasted 1 hour, 16 minutes, and 4 seconds, a standard duration for a central lunar eclipse. The Moon sat near the zenith for observers in Hawaii and the central Pacific, while those in western North America saw it set during the eclipse and those in eastern Asia saw it rise.

When did the eclipse happen, exactly? A timeline by time zone

The question “when did it happen” depends entirely on where you stood. The eclipse was not visible from Europe, Africa, or most of South America. For those who could see it, the timing broke down this way:

UTC (Universal Coordinated Time)

  • Penumbral eclipse began: 10:51 UTC
  • Partial eclipse began: 11:48 UTC
  • Totality began: 13:51 UTC
  • Totality ended: 14:07 UTC
  • Partial eclipse ended: 15:08 UTC
  • Penumbral eclipse ended: 16:08 UTC

North American time zones (morning of January 31)

  • Pacific Standard Time: totality from 4:51 AM to 6:07 AM, with the Moon setting during the later stages
  • Mountain Standard Time: totality from 5:51 AM to 7:07 AM, with the Moon low on the western horizon
  • Central Standard Time: totality from 6:51 AM to 8:07 AM, but the Moon had already set for most observers
  • Eastern Standard Time: no visibility, the Moon had set before the eclipse began

Asian time zones (evening of January 31)

  • Japan Standard Time (UTC+9): totality from 10:51 PM to 12:07 AM (February 1)
  • China Standard Time (UTC+8): totality from 9:51 PM to 11:07 PM
  • Australian Eastern Daylight Time (UTC+11): totality from 12:51 AM to 2:07 AM (February 1)

The best viewing locations were Hawaii, where the Moon was high overhead during totality, and Japan, where the eclipse occurred in the evening with the Moon fully risen. Western North America saw the Moon set while still partially eclipsed, a phenomenon called a “selenelion,” where the eclipsed Moon appears on one horizon while the Sun rises on the opposite one.

What Do Supermoon, Blue Moon, and Blood Moon Mean

Three astronomical labels converged on the same night: a supermoon, a blue moon, and a blood moon. None of these terms describe rare events individually. Together, they created a media storm that the 2018 eclipse did not earn on its own merits.

The supermoon. The term was coined in 1979 by astrologer Richard Nolle, not by astronomers. It describes a full moon that occurs when the Moon is at or near its closest approach to Earth (perigee). The January 31, 2018 full moon was 358,994 kilometers from Earth, close, but not the closest of the year. That record belonged to the January 1, 2018 supermoon at 356,565 kilometers. The Moon appeared about 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than a micromoon (a full moon at apogee). The difference is visible to the naked eye only if you compare photographs side by side.

The blue moon. The modern definition of a blue moon, the second full moon in a single calendar month, dates to a 1946 article in Sky & Telescope magazine by amateur astronomer James Hugh Pruett. He misinterpreted the older Maine Farmers’ Almanac definition (which used seasonal quarters, not months), and the mistake stuck. January 2018 had full moons on January 1 and January 31. The second one was the blue moon. The Moon does not actually turn blue. The phrase “once in a blue moon” originally meant “never” or “absurd”, a blue-colored moon is a real but rare atmospheric effect caused by volcanic ash or forest fire smoke.

The blood moon. This is the only term with direct physical reality. During totality, the Moon turns reddish because of Rayleigh scattering, the same physics that makes sunsets red. The exact shade depends on atmospheric conditions: dust, volcanic aerosols, and cloud cover in Earth’s shadow path. The January 31, 2018 eclipse produced a deep copper-red Moon, darker on the southern edge where the Moon passed closer to the center of Earth’s umbra.

The last time a supermoon, blue moon, and total lunar eclipse coincided was December 30, 1982. The next will not occur until January 31, 2037, exactly 19 years later, a pattern driven by the Metonic cycle of 19 years that governs the alignment of lunar phases with calendar dates.

For practitioners who work with lunar cycles, the January 31, 2018 eclipse carried specific weight because of its position in the zodiac and its timing within the lunar calendar.

Astrological placement. The eclipse occurred at 11 degrees 37 minutes of Leo, opposite the Sun at the same degree of Aquarius. In traditional astrology, a lunar eclipse in Leo speaks to matters of the heart, creative expression, and public recognition, but through the lens of shadow. The Sun in Aquarius suggested a tension between individual will (Leo) and collective needs (Aquarius). Astrologers who tracked the eclipse noted that it squared Jupiter in Scorpio and opposed Mars in Sagittarius, adding themes of expansion, intensity, and potential conflict.

The blue moon layer. A blue moon has no fixed esoteric meaning across traditions. Some contemporary astrologers treat it as an “extra” full moon, a time when the usual lunar energies are amplified or destabilized. Others point to the older seasonal definition: a blue moon is the third of four full moons in a single season, and it traditionally marked a time for completing unfinished business before the next season’s work began.

The supermoon layer. In folk magic traditions that track the Moon’s distance, a supermoon is considered more potent for work involving growth, attraction, and manifestation. The closer Moon exerts stronger gravitational pull, which some practitioners connect to heightened emotional and energetic tides. The January 31, 2018 supermoon was the third in a series of three consecutive supermoons (December 3, 2017; January 1, 2018; January 31, 2018), a pattern that intensified the sense of a closing cycle.

Chinese tradition. The eclipse fell on the 15th day of the 12th month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar, just before the Lunar New Year (which began on February 16, 2018, ushering in the Year of the Earth Dog). In Chinese folk tradition, a lunar eclipse was called tiān gǒu chī yuè, “the celestial dog eats the moon.” People would beat drums, bang pots, and set off firecrackers to scare away the dog and protect the moon. The practice dates to at least the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE). For the January 31, 2018 eclipse, communities across China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia performed these rituals, though the eclipse was not visible in most of mainland China, it occurred during daylight hours.

Vedic astrology (Jyotisha). In Indian tradition, a lunar eclipse is called Chandra Grahan. The January 31, 2018 eclipse fell in the nakshatra (lunar mansion) of Ashlesha, which spans 16°40’ to 30°00’ of Cancer. Ashlesha is ruled by the serpent deity Naga and is considered a sharp, intense asterisk associated with hidden knowledge, poison, and healing. Vedic astrologers advised against eating during the eclipse, recommended bathing after it ended, and suggested meditation or mantra recitation (especially the Mahamrityunjaya mantra) during the event. The eclipse was visible in India only during the penumbral phase, as the Moon rose already partially eclipsed.

Western esoteric traditions. The Golden Dawn tradition and its descendants treat lunar eclipses as times when the Moon’s reflective, receptive nature is temporarily blocked. The Moon in esoteric cosmology is the gatekeeper of the subconscious, the vehicle of memory, and the ruler of the tides of the soul. A total lunar eclipse was seen as a moment when the veil between conscious and unconscious thinned, but not in the celebratory sense of Samhain. It was a time for confronting what had been hidden, not for inviting new energy in. Practitioners who work with the Qabalistic Tree of Life associate the Moon with Yesod, the sphere of foundation and illusion. An eclipse of Yesod was read as a stripping away of illusion, a moment when the foundation itself was tested.

The eclipse was not historically significant in terms of duration or rarity. Total lunar eclipses occur roughly every 2.5 years at any given location. What made it notable was the media convergence of the three labels. Compare it to other eclipses of the same era:

July 27, 2018 total lunar eclipse. This was the longest total lunar eclipse of the 21st century, with totality lasting 1 hour, 42 minutes, and 57 seconds. It occurred at apogee (the farthest point from Earth), making it a micromoon. The January 31 eclipse was shorter but brighter.

January 21, 2019 total lunar eclipse. This was the last total lunar eclipse visible from North America until May 2021. It occurred at perigee (a supermoon) and was widely photographed. The January 31, 2018 eclipse was the first of the pair.

November 8, 2022 total lunar eclipse. This was the last total lunar eclipse visible from North America until March 2025. It also coincided with a total lunar eclipse of the planet Uranus, a rare conjunction that had not occurred since 1580.

The January 31, 2018 eclipse sits in the middle of this sequence: not the longest, not the rarest, but the one that captured public imagination because of the triple label.

What are the common misconceptions about this eclipse?

Misconception: It was the first “super blue blood moon” in 150 years. This claim appeared in countless news headlines. It is technically true only if you require all three conditions, supermoon, blue moon, and total lunar eclipse, to occur simultaneously. The last such triple convergence was December 30, 1982, which was 36 years earlier, not 150. The 150-year figure comes from the last time a blue moon and a total lunar eclipse coincided, without the supermoon requirement. That was March 1866. The media conflated the two statistics.

Misconception: The Moon actually turned blue. It did not. The term “blue moon” refers to the calendar definition, not the Moon’s color. The “blood moon” color was real, a deep copper-red, but the blue moon was not blue.

Misconception: The eclipse was visible everywhere. It was visible only from the Pacific Rim. Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and most of South America saw nothing. The eclipse occurred during daylight hours for the Atlantic basin.

Misconception: A supermoon causes natural disasters. The gravitational difference between a supermoon and a regular full moon is about 42 percent greater tidal pull. This is measurable but not catastrophic. No correlation exists between supermoons and earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or extreme weather, despite persistent claims in pseudoscientific circles.

FAQ

Was the January 31, 2018 lunar eclipse visible from Europe? No. The eclipse occurred during daylight hours in Europe, with the Moon below the horizon for the entire event.

How long did totality last for the January 31, 2018 eclipse? Totality lasted 1 hour, 16 minutes, and 4 seconds, from 13:51 UTC to 14:07 UTC.

What made the Moon appear red during the eclipse? Rayleigh scattering. Sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere, which scatters shorter blue wavelengths and bends longer red wavelengths onto the Moon’s surface.

When will the next super blue blood moon occur? The next triple convergence of a supermoon, blue moon, and total lunar eclipse will occur on January 31, 2037.

The January 31, 2018 lunar eclipse was not the rarest event in the sky, but it was the one that reminded us how many layers a single moon can carry. It was a supermoon by distance, a blue moon by calendar, and a blood moon by physics, three names for the same shadow passing over the same face. For those who watched it from a balcony in Kyoto or a backyard in Los Angeles, it was a moment when the sky demanded attention. If you want to understand how eclipses have been read across traditions, explore our guide to eclipse symbolism. For the mechanics of how lunar and solar eclipses differ, see our glossary of eclipse terms. And for the next total lunar eclipse visible from your region, check our eclipse calendar.