NEW YORK (AP) — Prepare yourselves for an exciting celestial event: a partial lunar eclipse combined with a supermoon taking place!
This beautiful phenomenon can be seen in clear skies across North and South America on Tuesday night, and it will also be visible in Africa and Europe on Wednesday morning.
A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth comes between the sun and the moon, creating a shadow that partially darkens the moon and makes it look as if a portion has been “nibbled” away.
What’s special this time is that the moon will be closer to Earth than usual, making it appear larger in the night sky. This supermoon is one of the last three we’ll have this year.
Valerie Rapson, an astronomer at the State University of New York at Oneonta, explains, “A bit of sunlight gets blocked, meaning the moon will look slightly dimmer.”
According to NASA, the Earth, moon, and sun align to create solar or lunar eclipses about four to seven times each year. This particular lunar eclipse is the second and last one for 2023, following a minor darkening event in March.
Earlier this year in April, a total solar eclipse left certain cities in North America bathed in darkness for a short time.
No special glasses are needed to enjoy a lunar eclipse. People can simply look at the moon with their naked eyes or use binoculars and telescopes for a better view.
If you’re curious to see how the moon changes over time, spend some hours outside or check back at intervals throughout the evening, suggests KaChun Yu, a curator at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
“You might not notice much happening from one moment to the next,” Yu notes.
For an even more remarkable lunar experience, mark your calendars for March 13, when the moon will be entirely shadowed by the Earth and take on a reddish hue due to sunlight filtering through Earth’s atmosphere.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. However, the AP is solely responsible for all content.
