'Super blue blood moon eclipse' to take place on Jan. 31

The first lunar eclipse of 2018 is due to take place on the last day of this month.

However, this event is going to be truly unique, as it coincides with a 'super moon,' and will also be a 'blue moon' as well.

A red moon appears above a Russian Orthodox Church at Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Oct. 8, 2014. The moon appears orange, the result of sunlight scattering off the Earth's atmosphere. This is known as the blood moon. [Photo: AP/Pavel Golovkin]

The Chinese Academy of Sciences says the phenomenon will be visible around the whole of the Pacific Rim.

A blue moon simply means the second full moon in a calendar month, which happens around once every 2.7 years.

However, this event will coincide with a 'supermoon.' Supermoons happen when the moon's perigee — its closest approach to Earth in a single orbit — coincides with a full moon. In this case, the supermoon also happens to be the same day of a lunar eclipse. 

The diamond ring effect appears as the moon moves away from the sun following a total eclipse, August 21, 2017. [Photo: AP/Timothy D. Easley]

Hu Fanghao, head of the Chinese Academy of Science's main observatory, says the last time this combination of events took place was on March 31, 1866, more than 150 years ago.

He says the lunar eclipse will last for over one hour; and it will see the moon take on a red-orange hue, appearing larger and brighter than normal.