Before 2024 wraps up, people have one more chance to see another eclipse — or, at least a partial one — right after another supermoon.
On Tuesday, Sept. 17, Earth’s moon is expected to reach its full moon phase. Because it will be the closest full moon to the autumn equinox, this full moon is referred to as the Harvest Moon, according to the Farmer’s Almanac.
Starting the night of Sept. 17 and into Sept. 18, stargazers will also have a chance to look up and see a partial lunar eclipse, according to the website EarthSky. However, unlike the April 8 total solar eclipse, nobody on Earth will need protective glasses, as this eclipse will be seen only at night and people will be looking at the moon, not the sun.
When the eclipse happens, Earth will be between the sun and the moon, EarthSky wrote. This eclipse is expected to appear as a penumbral eclipse of the moon — the penumbra being Earth’s outer shadow. Parts of the moon will appear shaded out “followed by the barest of dark bites” around one edge of the moon, according to EarthSky.
The moon will go through several eclipse stages before it becomes a partial lunar eclipse. The eclipse begins with the penumbral eclipse stage before transitioning into a partial eclipse, looking as though “a tiny, but dark, bite is taken from one edge of the moon,” EarthSky wrote.
While the moment of maximum obscuration is expected at around 10:44 p.m., only 9% of the moon will be darkened by Earth’s shadow, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. Roughly another half hour is expected to pass before the partial eclipse ends, followed by the end of the penumbral eclipse ending at around 12:47 a.m., EarthSky wrote.
One thing that could dictate the moon’s visibility is cloud cover. However, as of Friday, people in Worcester, Boston and Springfield should have a clear view, according to AccuWeather. Each location has a 1% or 2% chance of cloud cover as of Friday afternoon, so the eclipse should be visible the night of Sept. 17.
Anyone who regularly visits the darker parts of the state to get a clearer view of the night sky is also in for some luck, for now. Skies should be clear over Kenneth Dubuque Memorial State Forest, Wachusett Mountain State Reservation and Lake Dennison, according to AccuWeather’s monthly forecast.
