Don't Miss September's Sky Show: The Harvest Moon Eclipse

By Wayne Smith, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center
September 14, 2024



Partial Lunar Eclipse Photograph

When only a part of the moon en .ters Earth’s shadow, the event is called a partial lunar eclipse. Credit: Brad Riza
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.

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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!

More:
https://scitechdaily.com/dont-miss-septembers-sky-show-the-harvest-moon-eclipse