A September Supermoon + a partial lunar eclipse. Here’s when to catch it in the NC sky
Two popular lunar spectacles will happen on the same night this month when a Supermoon rises — and then gets partially eclipsed.
What’s a supermoon?
September’s full moon is the second in a series of four consecutive supermoons, which happen when the moon in its orbit comes within 90% of its closest approach to Earth.
Its closer proximity makes the moon look bigger and brighter than average. Astronomers say a supermoon can appear up to 14% larger and up to 30% brighter than when the moon is its farthest from the Earth.
NASA has an animated video on its website that explains a supermoon eclipse, which last happened in 2015.
When can we see the September Supermoon in North Carolina?
The moon will “look” big and full for three nights, from Sept. 16 through Sept. 18. But the actual full moon will appear on the eastern horizon at 7:14 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17, just a few minutes before sunset. If skies are clear enough, it will be visible until it sets at 7:27 a.m. on Sept. 18.
The September full moon is often called a harvest moon, tied to the late-summer harvest season.
When will the partial lunar eclipse happen?
A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth is between the sun and the moon with all three on the same plane of orbit, according to weather.gov; a partial lunar eclipse is when a portion of the moon passes through the Earth’s umbral shadow, where the Earth is blocking direct sunlight from reaching the moon.
A partial eclipse doesn’t last as long as a full one. In Raleigh and across central North Carolina, this one will take just a little over four hours, according to NASA: from 8:41 p.m. to 12:47 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 17.
And while it will be discernible in a clear sky, this partial lunar eclipse will be subtle compared to, say, the total solar eclipse we experienced in April. At its peak — at 10:44 p.m., when 8% of the moon is obscured — this eclipse will only shave a sliver off at the top of the moon so it might look like the orb is wearing a tiny beanie, according to graphic recreations on timeanddate.com.
Is it safe to look at a lunar eclipse?
On the plus side, it’s perfectly safe to look at a lunar eclipse with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope.
Will the weather cooperate for the September Supermoon eclipse?
The National Weather Service’s current forecast for Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill Tuesday night is mostly cloudy, which means you’ll need patience and some luck to see the partial lunar eclipse, but some glimpses of the supermoon should be possible.
This story was originally published September 12, 2024 at 7:00 AM.
