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Rare Super Blue Blood Moon Puts On Cosmic Show

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - The moon put on a rare cosmic show on Wednesday.

It's the first time in 35 years a blue moon has synced up with a supermoon and a total lunar eclipse.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, Earth and moon line up perfectly, casting Earth's shadow on the moon.

Hawaii and Alaska had the best seats, along with the Canadian Yukon, Australia, and Asia. The western U.S. also had good viewing, too, along with Russia. The US East Coast, Europe and most of South America and Africa are out of luck for the eclipse.''

Here on the East Coast, we didn't get to see the eclipse, just a really bright full moon.

The second full moon in a calendar month is a blue moon.

This one also happens to be an especially close and bright moon or supermoon. Add a total eclipse, known as a blood moon for its red tint, and it's a lunar showstopper.

NASA is calling it a lunar trifecta: the first super blue blood moon since 1982. That combination won't happen again until 2037.

What made this Super Blue Blood Moon extra special is that it marks the first time since March 31, 1866, that a total lunar eclipse coincides with a Blue Moon in North America.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, Earth and moon line up perfectly, casting Earth's shadow on the moon.

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