This week, stargazers will be able to witness the year’s most famous supermoon phenomena – the “Harvest Moon” (as Neil Young once said) alongside a partial lunar eclipse making it a stunning celestial coincidence to look out for in the skies.
The September full moon is called “Harvest Moon” due to its proximity to the autumn equinox. It is considered to be the second of four consecutive super-moons and the second-biggest “supermoon” of the year.
“Each month, the moon passes through the point closest to Earth (perigee) and the point farthest from Earth (apogee). When the moon is at or near its closest point to Earth at the same time as it is full, it is called a “supermoon,” Nasa explains.
A lunar eclipse will coincide with the supermoon on the night of September 17-18 where the Earth will pass between the Sun and the full super-Moon, casting a shadow on the lunar surface.
Here’s what you need to know about a Lunar Eclipse
There are three types of lunar eclipse:
- Total lunar eclipse – In this event, the Moon takes on a deep red colour, illuminated only by light that has passed through Earth’s atmosphere.
- Penumbral lunar eclipse – Occurs when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are not perfectly aligned, causing the Moon to pass through Earth’s outer shadow, resulting in a subtle darkening of its surface.
- Partial lunar eclipse – This happens when only a portion of the Moon enters Earth’s full shadow, leaving part of the Moon darkened.
When and where to see the Lunar Eclipse and Supermoon phenomena
The spectacle is set to be visible throughout most of the world including Europe, Africa as well as large parts of Asia and North and South America with the Moon appearing 14% larger than usual in a blood-red hue reaching its closest approach to Earth in 2024, creating an atmospheric celestial display.
For those in the UK, the partial eclipse will commence at 3:12am BST on 18 September (that’s earlyyyyy on Wednesday morning), and end at 4:15am BST.
Meanwhile, the penumbral eclipse will be seen earlier at 1:41am BST and end at 5:47am BST on the same day.
According to NASA, the moon will appear full for approximately three days, from Monday evening through Thursday morning.
A live stream of the partial lunar eclipse will be available on Time and Date’s YouTube channel for those living outside of the event’s path or who do not have clear skies on the day.