Look out to the skies, Miami! A stellar show is in store for us this evening because stargazers will be able to spot not just one lunar phenomenon, but TWO.
September’s full moon, called a “Harvest Moon” due to its proximity to the autumn equinox, will shine in the skies on Tuesday, September 17. It’s considered to be the second of four consecutive supermoons and tied with October’s upcoming full moon as the closest of the year.
According to NASA, the Harvest Moon will appear full for approximately three days, until Thursday morning.
If that wasn’t enough, a lunar eclipse will coincide with the supermoon on September 17 through 18, where the Earth will pass between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow on the lunar surface. This will be a partial lunar eclipse, beginning in Miami tonight at 8:41 p.m. and ending at 12:47 a.m.! Per Time and Date, the best time to look outside and view it will be 10:44 p.m., clear skies permitting.
Because it is only a partial eclipse, you shouldn’t expect to see a full glow, but there might be a slightly red tint to it. Nevertheless, the moon will still look massive, as a supermoon occurs when it reaches its closest distance to Earth. As a result, supermoons appear the biggest and brightest moons of the year – around 7% larger than average.
The next two supermoons expected for this year are on October 17 (Hunter’s Moon) and November 15 (Beaver Moon). The next lunar eclipse will take place March 14, 2025.
Happy stargazing, friends!