Blood Moon Draws Stargazers To Watch Party

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FARMERS BRANCH (CBS11) — A rare celestial sight excited stargazers Sunday night as they gathered at Brookhaven College.

The total lunar eclipse known as the "blood moon" has sparked rumors of being a sign of the end of times, but most of the people CBS11 met at the viewing party just think it's a cool sight to see in the night sky — one that doesn't happen very often.

"It's amazing to see the world and the universe spinning around us," astronomy student Maegan Johnson said. "It's beyond our control, and that's something that's awe-inspiring and powerful."

What we're seeing is a full moon while it's at its closest point in its orbit around the Earth. That's happening at the same time as the lunar eclipse, when the moon passes directly behind our planet.

Clouds got in the way for much of the night, but the people who filled the plaza at Brookhaven College armed themselves with high-powered telescopes, and the moon snuck out from behind the clouds for the naked eye to get a good look.

The next time this is expected to happen is 2033.

(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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