Mormon leaders have issued a rare public statement to the church’s 15 million members, advising that the confluence Sunday of a lunar eclipse and a supermoon (a “blood moon”) should not be taken as a sign of the apocalypse: “Avoid being caught up in extreme efforts to anticipate catastrophic events.”

Sunday night (in the Western Hemisphere) the shadow of the the Earth will fall on the face of the full moon, darkening it. This is the uncommon, but not too uncommon, phenomenon called a “lunar eclipse.”

If you were up late last night and had clear skies in your area, you may have seen the moon turn red for a terrifying moment. No, it's not a sign of the end times (probably). Last night's "blood moon" was caused by a lunar eclipse, when Earth comes between the moon and the sun, casting a shadow on the moon's surface.…

Last night's blood moon, as seen from Whittier, Ca. If you missed it, the next lunar eclipse will take place the night of October 8. Photo via Nick Ut/Associated Press.