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NASA claims the last time these astronomical events took place at the same time was on Dec. 21, 1638, and it probably won't happen again until at least 2094.
The full moon was darkened by Earth's shadow as our planet passed between the moon and the sun.
December 21 is also the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, after which the days will begin to grow in length.
The total eclipse began around 1:41 a.m. Central time on Tuesday while the optimal viewing time was 2:17 a.m. Central time.
A lunar eclipse is when the earth blocks the sun from the moon. The result, which can be seen from many places around the world for over an hour, is a darkening moon as the eclipse begins, a red moon when the sun is partially eclipsed and a reddish reflection of the earth shows on the surface as well.
A look at the geometry of the Moon phases would make it appear that a lunar eclipse should happen every full moon and a solar eclipse should occur on every new moon. This does not occur because the plane of the Moon's orbit is tilted 5.2° with respect to the plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun (the ecliptic plane).
The conditions for eclipses occur only at the points at which the Moon's orbit passes through the ecliptic plane.
The celestial eccentricity of the lunar eclipse occurring on the winter solstice holds special significance for spiritualities that tap into certain energies during times of galactic change. "It's a ritual of transformation from darkness into light."
"It's seen as a time of rebirth or renewal because, astrologically, it's a time where the light comes back," said Shane Hawkins, a professor of Greek and Roman studies at Carleton University in Ottawa.
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