Melbourne got a rare triple celestial treat when a super moon, blue moon and a full lunar eclipse coincided to illuminate the sky on Wednesday night.
And all you had to do to see the three lunar phenomena coincide was stay up and look at the night sky.
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Witness the super blue blood moon
The once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon hasn't occurred in over 150 years is happening tonight.
Stargazers were rewarded with a spectacular show over about three hours, and took many photos to prove it.Â
Delighted Melburnians flooded social media with pictures and expressed their excitement and awe as the rare event unfolded.Â
![The eerie glow of the super blue blood moon as seen from Kew.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180201035235im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/r/l/m/l/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.h0r7s9.png/1517454339141.jpg)
The super and blue moon started at 10.48pm and fully eclipsed from 11.51pm to 1.07am, finishing the lunar trifecta at 2.11am.
Melbourne's weather came through for most of the city's budding astronomers with skies clearing just in time for the big show.Â
"A lot of Melbourne had a good view," Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Rod Dickson said.Â
"The eastern suburbs particularly had pretty clear skies and the skies cleared in time through the city as well.
![The super blue moon rises above station pier, from Williamstown.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180201035235im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/r/j/s/l/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.h0r7s9.png/1517454339141.jpg)
"The western suburbs and out towards Geelong and also areas of the south-west district had a fair bit of cloud cover so they missed out."Â
The rare phenomenon was last seen in Australia in 1982.
![The Moon rises above the Eureka Tower, from Williamstown.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180201035235im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/r/j/r/y/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.h0r7s9.png/1517454339141.jpg)
However, for the western hemisphere, the last lunar trifecta occurred in 1866, more that 150 years ago.
This is a rare convergence of three celestial events – a super moon, a blue moon and a full lunar eclipse. This means the second full moon of the calendar month (a blue moon) will be at its closest point to the Earth, appearing bigger and brighter (a super moon) and will be fully eclipsing as it passes directly behind the Earth.
![The eclipse starts.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180201035235im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/r/k/c/f/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.h0r7s9.png/1517454339141.jpg)
Swinburne University astrophysicist Alan Duffy said it was a trifecta with the moon appearing bigger and a third brighter before it turns red. This effect is commonly referred to as a blood moon.
"A shadow creeps across the face of the bright full moon, but thanks to our atmosphere some sunlight is bent or refracted towards the moon, illuminating it in a blood red colour," Mr Duffy said.
"A nicer way to think of this is that all of the sunsets and sunrises of Earth are shining onto the Moon that is now reflecting that light back."
Mr Duffy said the best time to see the super moon is just as it rises above the horizon.
"Thanks to a psychological trick known as the moon illusion, it will appear larger close to the ground than it does later on in the night when it's higher," he said. "Stand with your back to the setting sun and watch as the moon rises in front of you."
White witch and seventh-generation psychic Sarah Kulkens said a super moon provided a powerful environment for magical work.
And if you're unlucky in love, the super moon might be just what you need to break your drought.
"Traditionally, love spells seem to be most effective under the super moon," Ms Kulkens said.
"The moon has a very big emotional pull on the earth. We believe if you perform a spell or ritual under a super moon it's more powerful because the moon is closer to the earth."
Ms Kulkens, who runs the Kerry Kulkens Magic Shop in Belgrave, estimated hundreds of Wicca devotees perform offerings, spells and candlelight rituals under the full moon on Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
"The best time to do it is just after midnight," she said. "For many, they will be doing rituals to thank mother nature for keeping us safe, or using it to ask for health and prosperity for their loved ones."
More photos from The Age readers
The super moon over Victoria's eastern ranges. Photo: Shirley Bendle
![Fruit bats fly across the super blue moon.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180201035235im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/r/k/7/3/image.imgtype.articleLeadwide.620x349.png/1517398280522.png)
Fruit bats fly across the super blue moon. Photo: Mike Keating
![The super moon seen from St Kilda in Melbourne.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180201035235im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/r/k/8/8/image.imgtype.articleLeadwide.620x349.png/1517399205223.png)
The super moon seen from St Kilda in Melbourne. Photo: Randah Jordan
![The supermoon seen from Williamstown.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180201035235im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/r/o/m/4/image.imgtype.articleLeadwide.620x349.png/1517442762146.png)
The supermoon seen from Williamstown. Photo: Viet Tran
![The blood moon.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180201035235im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/r/o/o/u/image.imgtype.articleLeadwide.620x349.png/1517442938043.png)
The blood moon. Photo: Sam Newport
![Stages of the supermoon.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180201035235im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/r/o/q/3/image.imgtype.articleLeadwide.620x349.png/1517443034220.png)
Stages of the supermoon. Photo: Alison Platt
![The supermoon behind Saint Dominic's Church in Camberwell in Melbourne's east.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180201035235im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/r/k/6/0/image.imgtype.articleLeadwide.620x0.png/1517398065628.png)
The supermoon behind Saint Dominic's Church in Camberwell in Melbourne's east. Photo: Wolf Marx
![The blood moon from South Yarra.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180201035235im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/r/k/g/q/image.imgtype.articleLeadwide.620x349.png/1517403847336.png)
The blood moon from South Yarra. Photo: Marina Kelly
![The super moon from Frankston.](http://web.archive.org./web/20180201035235im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/h/0/r/k/a/j/image.imgtype.articleLeadwide.620x349.png/1517400582672.png)
The super moon from Frankston. Photo: Dave Kelly
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