Reviewed by: Liv George
Supermoon, partial eclipse expected Tuesday: What to know + how to see it
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September’s full moon will feature two rare occurrences overlapping each other this week and you could see it happen from right here in Alabama.
On Tuesday, Sept. 17, a “supermoon” will be visible across the world with a partial eclipse also expected to be visible for half of the world on the same night.
Keep reading to find out more details about this lunar event including the peak time for seeing the eclipse in your area.
Harvest Moon
According to NASA, the term “supermoon” was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979 as either a new or full Moon that occurs when the Moon is within 90% of its closest to Earth. When that occurs during a full moon, it appears larger and brighter.
This is the second of four consecutive full moons with September and October effectively tied in regards to how close the moon is to Earth.
Because this full moon is the closest to the autumnal equinox (Sept. 22), it is known as the Harvest Moon. It will appear full for roughly three days, between Monday, Sept. 16 and Thursday, Sept. 19.
Partial lunar eclipse
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth is between the sun and the moon. Earth’s shadow falls on the surface of the Moon, dimming it and sometimes turning the surface a striking red over the course of a few hours.
While the full moon is expected to peak around 9:30 central time Tuesday night, the partial eclipse will begin almost two hours prior to that.
Here’s some times to keep an eye on (all central):
- Moon first enters Earth’s shadow: 7:41PM
- Peak of eclipse: 9:44PM
- Exiting partial shadow: 11:47PM
During the peak of the eclipse, just 8% of the moon will be in full shadow.
ICYMI: Recapping the 2024 solar eclipse from around Alabama
Will you be looking up to see the lunar event Tuesday night? Let us know what you see by posting to social media and tagging The Bama Buzz on Instagram, X, Facebook + LinkedIn.
