Harvest Moon Is Worth Checking Out Tuesday

Partial lunar eclipse, plus a supermoon, will be on view
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Sep 15, 2024 6:01 AM CDT
Updated Sep 17, 2024 11:44 AM CDT
Moon Is Worth Watching This Week
A partial lunar eclipse is seen in 2023.   (AP Photo/Fareed Khan, File)

Here's your reminder to get ready for a partial lunar eclipse and supermoon, all rolled into one. The spectacle will be visible in clear skies across North America and South America on Tuesday night, and in Africa and Europe on Wednesday morning, per the AP.

  • A partial lunar eclipse happens when the Earth passes between the sun and moon, casting a shadow that darkens a sliver of the moon and appears to take a bite out of it. The partial eclipse begins at 8:41pm ET, maxes out at 10:44pm, and ends at 12:47am, per Space.com.
  • Because the full moon (September's is known as the harvest moon, per the Washington Post) will inch closer to Earth than usual, it will appear a bit larger in the sky. The supermoon is one of three remaining this year. "A little bit of the sun's light is being blocked, so the moon will be slightly dimmer," Valerie Rapson, an astronomer at the State University of New York at Oneonta, tells the AP.

  • The Earth, moon, and sun line up to produce a solar or lunar eclipse anywhere from four to seven times a year, according to NASA. This lunar eclipse is the second and final of the year, after a slight darkening in March.
  • No special eye protection is needed to view a lunar eclipse. Viewers can stare at the moon with the naked eye or opt for binoculars and telescopes to get a closer look.
  • For a more striking lunar sight, skywatchers can set their calendars now for March 13. The moon will be totally eclipsed by the Earth's shadow and will be painted red by stray bits of sunlight filtering through Earth's atmosphere. (This story was updated with new details.)

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