There is magic in the sky each month when the full moon rises, marking the alignment of the sun, Earth and our planet’s only natural satellite. It’s an ancient indicator of time, and one that Native American tribes recognized as a signal of the changing seasons. They gave the moons names to mark the occasions, and while sky-gazers have variations on why moons garner certain monikers, most can agree on the ethereal appeal of the quiet and reliable lunar performance.
September’s full harvest moon technically reaches its peak fullness late Tuesday, so look for it rising plump and luminous on Tuesday at 7:17 p.m. and Wednesday at 7:53 p.m. in Palm Beach County.
This month’s full moon is especially celebrated because it is a supermoon. It also includes a partial lunar eclipse on Tuesday as the Earth passes between the sun and the moon casting a fleeting shadow that will appear to slice off the very top of the brightest and largest object in our night sky.
The partial eclipse will begin at 8:41 p.m. Tuesday but will be hard to notice until about 10:13 p.m. when the top edge of the moon starts to enter the Earth’s shadow, according to retired NASA executive Gordon Johnston . The peak of the eclipse, with 8% of the moon in shadow, will be at about 10:44 p.m.