On September 27, a rare supermoon lunar eclipse with grace the night skies. This is exciting news for stargazers who missed out on the supermoon that occurred in August.
What Is A Supermoon Lunar Eclipse?
The extraordinary celestial event results when a supermoon and lunar eclipse happen at the same time.
The moon is Earth’s only satellite with an orbital period of 27 days. Its orbiting path is not perfect, however. When the moon is closest to Earth, it is at pedigree. When the moon is farthest from Earth, it is at apogee. According to the National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA), a supermoon happens when the moon is at its fullest and closest to Earth. At this point, it is 30,000 miles nearer to Earth than when it is most distant. The moon appears larger in diameter by 14 percent, and looks about 30 percent brighter to us on Earth.
A lunar eclipse happens when the moon passes directly behind the Earth into its umbra, or shadow. The moon, Earth, and sun must be in close alignment for this to occur with Earth in between the other two celestial objects. The phenomenon is sometimes called a “blood moon” because of its reddish color.
An Extraordinary Celestial Event
The supermoon lunar eclipse slated for September 27 has the attention of astronomers and star enthusiasts alike for a couple of reasons. The singular event has happened only five times since 1900, in 1910, 1928, 1946, 1964, and 1982. It’s visual stunning, offering one of the most beautiful skyscapes that humans can see from Earth. Scientists project the next supermoon lunar eclipse for 2033.
According to NASA, the supermoon lunar eclipse will be viewable in the night sky for people living in North and South America starting around 9 pm lasting until 10 pm. It will be viewable for those living in Europe and Africa in the early morning hours on September 28. The event will not be visible at all in Hong Kong and great parts of Asia.
Click to view NASA’s video about the supermoon lunar eclipse
