Mark the onset of autumn with a stunning partial lunar eclipse on September 17. The Northern Hemisphere will witness a dark shadow over the Harvest Moon, creating a magical “reddish bite” in the sky, signaling cooler days and longer nights ahead.
Ahh, fall is almost upon us. Autumn officially begins September 23 and for many, it will mean cooler temperatures – a welcome reprieve from the summer heat.
Lunar Delights of Fall
Fall also brings football, pumpkins, and a Harvest Moon to watch for in the sky. Save the date of Tuesday, September 17. With a clear sky, people in the Northern Hemisphere will see a partial lunar eclipse, making the full supermoon on September 17 extra super.
In a partial lunar eclipse, the umbra – the shadow’s darkest part – “takes a bite out” of just a fraction of the Moon. The dark bite grows larger, and then recedes, never reaching the totality phase. In a total lunar eclipse, by comparison, the Earth’s full shadow falls across the face of the Moon.
Experience the Eclipse
“From Huntsville, the penumbral phase will begin around 7:41 p.m., and people should start noticing a ‘reddish bite’ being taken out of the top part of the Moon around 9:12 p.m.,” said Bill Cooke, who leads NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “The maximum eclipse will be at 9:44 p.m., and the partial phase will be over at 10:15 p.m. The penumbral phase will end about an hour and a half later, at 11:47 p.m..”
Embrace the Harvest Season
The September full Moon is often called the Harvest Moon due to its association with autumn harvests in the Northern Hemisphere. So, bring on fall and the pumpkin spice. As Neil Young sang in his song “Harvest Moon” – “Let’s go out and feel the night.” And perhaps take a sweater. And skywatchers, grab your cameras!
Times will vary by location in the U.S., with only Alaska and Hawaii missing out on the event.
Visit here for more September skywatching tips.
What are some skywatching highlights in September 2024? Five planets each make appearances, the Harvest supermoon shows us a partial eclipse, then slices through the Pleiades. Plus International Observe the Moon Night and solar sail sightings! Credit: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
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1 Comment
This may not be the intended takeaway from the article, but I have only just learned that Fall/Autumn doesn’t start on September 1st for you?! I’d assumed that as in Australia, your seasons were tied to the tri-monthly groups as we have here! I’m so excited to learn such a surprising new fact 😊