Moon Eclipse Tonight - What time is the lunar eclipse tonight? Super Moon - when is the lunar eclipse

Tonight, September 18, 2024, a partial lunar eclipse will occur, coinciding with the Harvest Supermoon. This celestial event is particularly noteworthy as it combines the visual spectacle of a lunar eclipse with the phenomenon of a supermoon, where the moon appears larger and brighter due to its proximity to Earth.

What Time to Watch

The partial lunar eclipse will unfold as follows:

• Start of Partial Eclipse: 8:41 PM EDT
• Peak of Eclipse: 10:44 PM EDT
• End of Partial Eclipse: 12:47 AM EDT (September 19)

For those on the West Coast, the corresponding times are:

• Start: 5:41 PM PDT
• Peak: 7:44 PM PDT
• End: 9:47 PM PDT

Visibility 

This lunar eclipse will be visible across much of North America for all the lower 48 states. It is also evident in a part of South America, Europe, and Africa. These are locations that are very dark and away from artificial light, or better still, areas that are on high grounds and remotely located from cities and towns. 

What Is Lunar Eclipse? 

A Lunar eclipse happens when the Earth blocks the Sun’s rays and its shadow falls on the surface of the moon. In this case, it is a partial lunar eclipse, this means that only some part of the moon will be in the Earth’s shadow. This gives a shaded look to a portion of the moon and hence a dramatic change when a few other parts of the moon are illuminated. 

The Harvest Supermoon 

This specific full moon is also called the Harvest Moon, which is the name given to remind people of the harvest season when the moon shines brighter at night thus helping farmers get more work done at night. The term supermoon refers to this full moon when the moon is at the closest point to the Earth known as perigee and thus appears about 14 percent larger and thirty percent brighter than the normal full moon.

Viewing Tips

• To best appreciate tonight's lunar eclipse:
• Find a dark location away from city lights.
• Use binoculars or a telescope for enhanced viewing, although they are not necessary.
• No special eye protection is needed for viewing a lunar eclipse

This is a good exercise for sky watchers as well as astronomy lovers since it is a combination of a partial lunar eclipse with the Harvest Supermoon tonight. The conditions for observing this event will be optimal and the weather will be clear which would make it quite an interesting spectacle. So don’t let go of the opportunity to watch this phenomenon in the sky!