Rare lunar super blue blood moon eclipse; obscured by clouds in Northland

New Zealand Herald photographer Michael Craig captured this image of the super blue blood moon from Waitakere at 2.45 am yesterday.

Northlanders missed out on a chance to see a rare lunar event as clouds obscured the "super blue blood moon eclipse".

It was the first time three events - a supermoon, a blue moon and a total lunar eclipse - occurred at the same time since 1866.

But while the once-in-several lifetimes event was visible elsewhere, Northlanders were out of luck as heavy cloud cover blocked clear views.

Possibly the only remnant visible yesterday morning was the large king tide that lapped at Whangarei's Town Basin.

Peter Felhofer, president of the Northland Astronomical Society, said the heavy blanket of clouds meant the event was a no show for Northlanders.

''I'm not too perturbed (about missing it). Lunar eclipses happen about every six months but this was a particularly large one with the moon about 14 per cent larger than average,'' Mr Felhofer said.

''In the last 20 years I've seen about five lunar eclipses, but it would have been nice to have seen this one.''

He realised well before midnight that the event would be a fizzer because of the cloud cover and rain.

''These things happen in astronomy. You can do all you can to prepare for an event like this, but nature can then play a role in things like it did here.''

A supermoon is when a full moon coincides with the closest the moon gets to Earth during its orbit and appears bigger and brighter. A blue moon is when two full moons occur in a single calendar month.

The third simultaneous phenomena to occur is a total lunar eclipse, also known as a blood moon, when a full moon, Earth and the sun line up and the moon appears to be red.

Those disappointed at missing out won't have to hang around for another 100-plus years for another chance - a triple line-up will occur again in 2037 - but we can't say, at this stage, if the clouds will stay away then.