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'Super Flower Blood Moon' happened Wednesday morning

Early risers got to experience the closest full moon of the year.

AUSTIN, Texas — It seems like every time you turn around you hear about another lunar event occurring. 

While full moons occur roughly once a month, only one moon a year can be considered the closest full moon to Earth. In 2021, that full moon is referred to as the "Super Flower Blood Moon" and happened early in the morning on Wednesday, May 26.

Why the long name? That's because a few different criteria are met for this particular full moon. 

First, this is a super moon due to the fact that the moon is within 90% of perigee (the point in the orbit where the moon is nearest to Earth). The inclusion of the word "flower" stems from Native American moon names since May historically experiences many floral blooms. Finally, this is considered a blood moon since it will appear red in hue due to the sun's light shining through the Earth's atmosphere reaching the moon's surface. 

Credit: KVUE

Now that the lengthy name has been explained, you're probably wondering, "When can I view it?" While some lunar events are ideal for night owls, this one is more geared toward early birds. Weather permitting, Central Texans would have been able to start viewing the Super Flower Blood Moon starting at 6:11 a.m. and ending at 6:26 a.m.

You might recall the previous full moon on April 26 making headlines. Well, this full moon is even larger – but only by about 0.04%. 

Credit: KVUE

Residents of Central Texas may have found it difficult, if not impossible, to view the Super Flower Blood Moon due to the fact that cloudy skies were expected to be in place across the region. There was a slight chance a break in the clouds would occur, but the forecast called for an increase in cloud coverage overnight into Wednesday morning.

Here is a look at what you can expect for the rest of the week:

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