:: Saudi Arabia’s sky will witness on Wednesday the first phenomenon of partial lunar eclipse in 2018 in conjunction with the presence of the moon at a very close distance from the Earth.

The moon will appear larger than normal. It is an extremely rare celestial event known as a super blue blood moon. According to NASA, the super blue blood moon was last seen when the three elements came together in 1866.

The moon will turn into near darkness after falling behind the Earth with the emergence of the full moon of the current Jamad Al-Awwal month.

During 2018, the Kingdom’s sky will witness a second lunar eclipse in the middle of Dhul Qaada month, corresponding to July 28.

It could be seen as a total lunar eclipse in all regions of the Kingdom, an astronomer at the University of King Abdul Aziz, Malham Hindi, told the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

“The partial lunar eclipse that will occur on Wednesday will happen with the beginning of the moon’s exit from behind the moon’s umbra (shadow),” Hindi said.

The moonrise will start in the Kingdom from the eastern region at 5:22 p.m. with a view of 76 percent.

The moonrise starts consecutively in the rest of the Kingdom. The moon shines in Riyadh at 5:39 p.m. with an eclipse of 37 percent in the regions of the northern borders with 36 percent, Qassim with 34 percent, Hail with 22 percent, Najran with 14 percent, Abha with 4 percent, Jazan with 2 percent and Al-Baha with 1 percent.

Hindi pointed out that the phases of the lunar eclipse end with the moon’s exit from the shadow of the Earth at 6:11 p.m. before its rise on the regions of Makkah, Madinah and Tabuk.

Therefore, the people of these areas will not be able to see the eclipse, while the moon will remain affected by the penumbra of the Earth’s shadow, which is seen by all the population of the Kingdom after the end of the partial eclipse until it ends at 7:08 p.m. Saudi Arabia time.

He explained that the people of Alaska, Russia, East Asia and Australia can see the total lunar eclipse at all stages after the beginning of the eclipse on Jan. 31 at 2:48 p.m. Saudi Arabia time. The moon totally enters behind the Earth’s shadow at 3:51 p.m.