Skywatchers in the US are in for a treat on Tuesday night, September 17, with a partial lunar eclipse and a super full Moon lighting up the sky.
This Moon will also be known as the Corn Moon, Harvest Moon, Fruit or Barley Moon.
lunar eclipse:
A partial lunar eclipse takes place when Earth is positioned between the Sun and a full moon, causing a shadow to fall on the moon.
Supermoon:
A Supermoon is when the moon is at its fullest and closest to Earth, known as perigee.
Because the moon follows an elliptical orbit around Earth, it has a closest point and a farthest point. When the moon is within 90% of its closest approach, it is referred to as a Supermoon.
According to NASA, the shadow will begin to appear at 8:41 p.m. EDT, with the top edge of the Moon enters the full shadow at 10:13 PM, reaching its peak at 10:44 PM, with only 8 percent of the Moon in full shadow.
The Moon will leave the full shadow at 11:16 PM and the partial shadow by 12:47 AM on Wednesday morning.
Unfortunately, parts of the country, especially the East Coast, Plains, and Pacific Northwest, may face cloud cover, limiting visibility.
The next lunar eclipse, when the Moon will be completely covered by Earth’s shadow, is expected in March 2025.
