Harvest Moon Rises: Partial Eclipse To Occur This Week During Full Supermoon

In less than a week, we’ll be welcoming in the start of the fall season. But before that happens, we’ll get to experience the Harvest Moon. As luck would have it, September’s full moon will also give us a partial lunar eclipse and supermoon. If you think that sounds like a lot going on at once, you’d be right! So, let’s break down why we’re in for such a celestial treat tomorrow night.

First, there’s the Harvest Moon. This is the name given to the full moon that takes place closest to the start of fall. Then there’s the term supermoon. This refers to how close the moon will be to the Earth. More specifically, it indicates that it will be particularly large and bright. Finally, there’s the partial eclipse. This time around, that means the upper part of the moon will be in Earth’s shadow, obscuring it from our view. But what will all of that look like?

On Tuesday night, we can expect to see a particularly large, bright moon… until the partial eclipse begins. When that happens, there will be a beautiful shadow. For the visible part of the moon, we will see a reddish-brown tint, making it all-the-more fitting for ringing in the start of fall next week. This is also called the “blood moon.”

Unlike the total solar eclipse from earlier this year, there’s no need for eye protection tomorrow night. But to get the best view, you’ll want to head out to a place that isn’t too lit. Plus, if you have access to a telescope or binoculars, you might get clearer views of small details on the moon, like craters.

Part of what makes September’s full moon so special is the rarity of these events taking place at the same time. In fact, the next eclipse and supermoon won’t take place again until October 8, 2033! You can use this website to find out when the moon will rise in your area.

You can find the source of this story’s featured image here!