Additional Coverage:
**September 15, 2024, 5:00 AM EDT**
**Moon Enthusiasts, Rejoice This Week**
On Tuesday, skywatchers in North America, South America, Africa, and Europe will have the unique opportunity to witness a full moon coinciding with a partial lunar eclipse. During this event, part of the moon will be obscured by Earth’s shadow.
A partial lunar eclipse occurs when Earth positions itself between the moon and the sun, casting a shadow that partially covers the moon’s surface.
**Mark Your Calendars:**
This particular full moon, known as the harvest moon due to its association with the Northern Hemisphere’s harvest season, will also be a supermoon. According to NASA, this means the moon will be at its closest point to Earth in its 27-day orbit, making it appear slightly larger and brighter in the sky.
The partial lunar eclipse will commence on Tuesday evening at 8:41 p.m. ET as the moon begins to move into Earth’s shadow.
Although the initial dimming might be subtle, the top edge of the moon will start becoming visibly obscured around 10:13 p.m. ET.
The eclipse will reach its peak at 10:44 p.m. ET, with approximately 8% of the moon in full shadow, which is just under 10 minutes after the moon fully illuminates at 10:35 p.m.
ET.
Following the peak, the moon will gradually exit Earth’s shadow, with the event concluding early Wednesday around 12:47 a.m. ET.
Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are safe to view without any protective eyewear and can be enjoyed with the naked eye.
Denise Chow reports on science and space for NBC News.