Key Information About the Rare ‘Supermoon Eclipse’

Sky-gazers around the globe enjoyed a partial lunar eclipse while the full harvest moon illuminated the night on Tuesday. The moon reached its peak fullness at 10:35 p.m. ET, remaining full until Thursday morning, as reported by NASA.

This image of Ganymede, Jupiter's largest moon, was captured by Voyager 1 on March 5, 1979, from a distance of 151,800 miles (243,000 kilometers).

On Tuesday evening, for approximately an hour, the moon appeared as if a chunk had been taken out of it due to the partial lunar eclipse. This phenomenon occurs when Earth is positioned between the sun and the full moon, but not in perfect alignment. The eclipse was visible over Europe, much of Asia, Africa, and both North and South America.

The moon entered Earth's full shadow at 10:13 p.m. ET and exited at 11:16 p.m. ET, with the eclipse peaking at 10:44 p.m. ET, according to NASA. Unlike total lunar eclipses, where the moon can take on a striking red hue known as a blood moon, this week's eclipse won't display that effect.

"The eclipse on Tuesday will not be a total lunar eclipse, so the moon won’t appear red; instead, a portion will darken," explained Noah Petro, NASA's project scientist for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and Artemis III. "If you weren’t aware of the event or didn’t look closely, it might not be noticeable. However, observant viewers might see the ‘top right’ corner of the moon slightly darker, indicating the area fully within Earth's shadow, although only a small section will be affected. If it's clear out, I encourage everyone to take a moment to gaze at the moon—it’s always worth it!"

September's full moon is considered the second of four consecutive supermoons in 2024. While definitions of a supermoon can vary, it typically refers to a full moon that is closer to Earth than usual, appearing larger and brighter. This month’s full moon was expected to be about 222,637 miles (358,300 kilometers) away, compared to the average distance of 238,900 miles (384,472 kilometers).

Don’t forget to look out for Saturn, which will appear as a bright dot near the full moon.

The term "harvest moon" signifies the season, as this full moon occurs close to the autumnal equinox, which falls on September 22. People often associate the harvest moon with an orange hue, particularly when it rises, due to the thicker atmosphere near the horizon, according to EarthSky.

This time of year marks the peak for many summer-planted crops in the Northern Hemisphere, and the bright moon historically helped farmers harvest their crops before the first frost, as noted by The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

September’s full moon has various names across indigenous cultures, such as the "moon of full harvest" from the Hopi people, the "corn maker moon" from the Abenaki tribe, the "moon of the brown leaves" from the Lakota people, and the "autumn moon" from the Passamaquoddy tribe. European names for this moon also reflect the fall harvest, including the "fruit moon," which refers to the ripening fruits of late summer, and the "barley moon," marking the collection of barley crops.

Celebrations around this time include the Korean festival of Chuseok and the Chinese Mooncake Festival, both honoring family and ancestral remembrance.

Looking ahead, the next full moon, known as the hunter’s moon, will occur on October 17 and is expected to be the closest supermoon of the year at a distance of 222,095 miles (357,428 kilometers). Following that, the beaver moon will rise on November 15, and the last full moon of the year, the cold moon, will occur on December 15.

Sky-watchers can also look forward to a busy meteor shower season to close out 2024, with the following peak dates for upcoming celestial events, according to the American Meteor Society:

• Draconids: October 7-8
• Orionids: October 20-21
• Southern Taurids: November 4-5
• Northern Taurids: November 11-12
• Leonids: November 17-18
• Geminids: December 13-14
• Ursids: December 21-22