2024’s second supermoon is also a partial lunar eclipse: All you need to know about it
Sep 18, 2024 06:17 PM We have made it to the second supermoon event of the year, of the 4 that are set to take place. Here’s everything that sets the celestial event apart A supermoon is a magnificent event to chance upon, in which a seemingly enlarged and luminous moon graces the sky. The good thing about supermoons is, that it is not uncommon for as many as 3 or even 4 to take place in the same year. 2024 for instance, has a lineup of 4 supermoons. The first was the rare super blue moon, or the Sturgeon moon which took place on August 19. The second supermoon of the year lies between September 17 and September 18. What sets this supermoon apart from others is the fact that it is also a partial lunar eclipse. Additionally, this moon also quantifies as a harvest moon making it quite the trifecta of celestial events that skygazing enthusiasts have been counting down to. September 18 marks the date for 2024’s second supermoon, also a partial lunar eclipse That being said, what is a harvest moon? Very simply put, the harvest moon is the closest full moon to the northern hemisphere’s autumn equinox. What this essentially does is, it lights up the evening skies with intense moonlight, something which has traditionally helped farmers in continuing to harvest their summer-grown crops for a longer period of time. Harvest moons also make for quite the sight to behold, owing to their orange and red hue. Coming to the partial lunar eclipse facet of the celestial event, it is firstly important to understand what it means. While a lunar eclipse represents the passage of Earth between the sun and the moon such that the Earth casts a shadow on the moon’s surface, a partial lunar eclipse refers to a similar occurrence albeit with the exception that the three celestial bodies aren’t in complete alignment. As a result, only a part of the moon passes through the Earth’s umbral shadow which is what leads this phenomenon to be identified as a partial lunar eclipse. As per NASA, the time frame for this celestial event is 10:35 PM EDT on September 17, which is 2:35 PM GMT on September 18. In terms of , this comes up to 8:05 AM. While this timing is when the full moon will be reaching its peak, the eclipse will be reaching its peak at 10.44 PM EDT which comes up to 2:44 PM GMT and 8:14 AM . Coming back to the general phenomenon of supermoons, there are 2 more scheduled for 2024. The dates for these are October 17 and November 15. September 18’s supermoon was not visible to those in India but regardless, can still be streamed on NASA’s official website and a host of Astronomy channels on YouTube. See more News / HTCity / 2024’s second supermoon is also a partial lunar eclipse: All you need to know about it
