Subhi Agrawal
Sky gazers are in for a rare treat tonight with the simultaneous occurrence of a super harvest Moon and a partial lunar eclipse on Tuesday night, September 17.
“The Moon Starts Entering The Full Shadow”
The evening will feature the second full supermoon of the year, where the moon appears larger and brighter due to its proximity to Earth. NASA notes that the moon will reach its peak fullness at 10:35 p.m. EDT, though it will appear largest near the horizon due to the “moon illusion.”
“The slight dimming of the Moon will be difficult to notice until the top edge of the Moon starts entering the full shadow,” NASA stated .
The visual spectacle will be visible across western Asia, North and South America, Europe, Africa, and parts of Antarctica.
Lunar Eclipses Happen Only During Full Moons
This month’s supermoon, called the full harvest moon, also aligns with a partial lunar eclipse, where Earth’s shadow obscures part of the moon. According to NASA, lunar eclipses happen only during full moons when Earth is positioned directly between the sun and the moon.
Unlike April’s total solar eclipse, this month’s event is a partial lunar eclipse, covering about 8 percent of the moon’s surface. Despite its small size, it’s still worth observing. According to Space.com, the eclipse will help sky-watchers spot craters and other features on the moon’s surface with telescopes and binoculars, and will give the supermoon a striking, red-tinged look.
NASA states that the eclipse will start at 10:13 p.m. EDT on September 17, peak at 10:44 p.m., and end with the moon exiting Earth’s shadow at 11:16 p.m. Viewers in Europe and Africa can see the event during the early morning of September 18.
The event will be visible above the southeast horizon, with Saturn, at magnitude 0.6, appearing to the naked eye just to the right of the partially eclipsed moon.
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