Don't Miss the Harvest Supermoon Partial Lunar Eclipse This Month

As the name suggests, a supermoon is a type of full moon that appears larger than usual because it’s closer to Earth. The first supermoon of 2024 occurred on August 19. According to the BBC’s Sky at Night magazine, the next one is due to arrive in mid-September, and it will coincide with a partial lunar eclipse.

The supersized harvest moon will arrive right after sunset on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, reaching peak illumination around 10:34 p.m. EDT. Harvest moon is the name for the full moon that falls closest to the fall equinox in late September. The early autumn moon always rises around dusk, and before electricity, farmers used it to extend their work days and pick crops by its light. Harvests were largest during the fall, so the full moon was helpful. 

Many parts of the world will also see a partial lunar eclipse from September 17 to the 18th. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth’s umbra, or the darkest part of the planet’s shadow, covers part of the moon. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of North America—except Alaska and Hawaii—and all of South America. Sky-gazers can get the best view of it at 10:44 p.m. EDT. Those in Europe and most of Africa will also be able to see the partial eclipse in the early morning hours before the moon sets on September 18. People along the Pacific coast in Washington, Oregon, and Northern California should keep a lookout on the evening of September 17. 

During a lunar eclipse, the Earth blocks some of the sun’s rays from the full moon, and the planet’s atmosphere filters the passing light, making the moon appear red. This is why it’s sometimes called a blood moon. Unlike a blood moon, a blue moon has nothing to do with color. It’s simply the term we use for a full moon that occurs twice in one month, which usually happens every two to three years.

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