A rare spectacle will be visible in the night sky this week as a stunning supermoon will occur alongside a partial lunar eclipse.
Stargazers will be treated to a moon that is 14 per cent larger than normal. It will be blood red in colour, creating an eerie autumn effect.
The color – called a blood moon – is seen during partial or total lunar eclipses.
The twin event will be visible in Europe, South America, Africa, and much of North America.
For UK stargazers, the partial eclipse will begin on Wednesday night, September 18 at 3:12am BST, ending at 4:15am BST.
Lunar eclipses occur when part of the moon passes through the Earth’s shadow. A total eclipse occurs when the Earth, moon, and sun are perfectly aligned. The next total luar eclipse will take place on March 14, 2025.
A supermoon occurs when the moon is at its closest distance to Earth in its orbit. Because its orbital path is oval-shaped, there are points where the moon is closer to the planet than normal.
Typically, the moon is 238,900 miles from our planet. This week, it will be 226,000 miles away, creating a spectacular night sky event.
September’s supermoon is the second of 2024, leaving an additional two supermoons to look forward to in October and November.
NASA says that the moon will appear full for about three days, from Monday evening through Thursday morning.
The full moon nearest the autumn equinox is called a Harvest Moon, or sometimes a Corn or Barley Moon. The nomenclature comes from when farmers would harvest crops by the light of the full moon in autumn.
It is rare for a harvest moon, super moon, and lunar eclipse to occur simultaneously. Stargazers won’t be able to see an event like this again until September 2033.
