BY LESLIE REGO
The overused phrase, “It was a dark and stormy night,” could certainly have been used to describe last night. I peered into the sky and saw nothing more than pea soup. Could it possibly clear in time to see the full moon, a moon that would manifest itself as a super blood wolf moon, and also a total lunar eclipse?
The full moon in January is often called the Wolf Moon, named for wolf packs that howled near Native American villages. Wolves howl to communicate over great distances, either to say “I am here” or “Beware, danger!” The howl from one wolf might last three to seven seconds, but simultaneous howls from a pack of wolves can last much longer.
There is not any real indication that wolves howl directly at the moon, but they do howl with their noses pointed toward the sky. By projecting upward, the sound amplifies and is carried a greater distance across the land. Wolves become much more vocal with the advent of their breeding season, which begins sometime around February. January already brings on louder howls, which is probably why the month is associated with the name of Wolf Moon.
A super-moon takes place when the moon, during its elliptical orbit, passes closest to the Earth. The moon appears larger and brighter, but it is hard to distinguish this difference with the naked eye.
A lunar eclipse occurs on a full-moon night. The three bodies of the sun, Earth and moon must be aligned, the Earth nestled between the other two. At the height of the eclipse, the moon passes directly behind the Earth and through its shadow. The russet color of the moon is created from the red, orange and yellow wavelengths journeying through the Earth’s atmosphere and beaming upon the moon’s surface, as if a million sunsets and sunrises were casting their light.
I checked the sky again and again, hoping it would clear for just a moment, but I could not see even a single star. The minutes ticked by and then the arms on the clock spun through the hours and still not a single break in the cloud cover. I could not even see the mountain. I am not sure if any wolves were howling, but I certainly howled with frustration! Finally, I gave up and went to bed.
I woke at five in the morning to a glow over the treetops and long bands of light and dark across the landscape. The moon was shining it its full glory.
Leslie Rego is an Idaho Press Club award-winning columnist, artist and Blaine County resident. To view more of Rego’s art, visit leslierego.com.