Get your telescope ready and look at the sky! This September there will be a combined astronomical event that you won’t want to miss, as a partial lunar eclipse and a Super Moon will take place.
The first thing you should know is that this will be the last lunar eclipse of 2024 and it will be visible almost everywhere in the world, being visible in Europe, Asia, Africa and of course, America.
Being a partial lunar eclipse, the moon will only be partially obscured, and only moments after the eclipse will occur the perigee, which is when the Moon is closest to the Earth, causing a supermoon eclipse.
Partial lunar eclipse and Super Moon
How is a partial lunar eclipse? Well, it is when an alignment occurs between the Sun, the Earth and the Moon. However, since it is not a perfect alignment, only a portion of the Moon will be obscured, offering a spectacular view in the night sky.
Most interestingly, the Moon will take on a reddish hue, known as a Blood Moon. This happens due to the scattering of sunlight in the Earth’s atmosphere and this color change will be observed as the Moon moves across the sky.
On the other hand, the Super Moon occurs when the celestial body is near its perigee, the closest point to the Earth in its elliptical orbit, so we can enjoy a bigger and brighter moon in the sky, which produces a spectacular and unmissable sighting for any lover of a starry sky.
It is important to know that to enjoy the astronomical spectacle you do not need specialized equipment such as telescopes or binoculars, although they make the experience more interesting, the phenomenon can be seen with the naked eye. We recommend you to go to a place that is far away from the city lights to enjoy this event as it should.
What time to watch the lunar eclipse in Monterrey?
This lunar eclipse with Super Moon will be visible throughout Mexico on the night of September 17, reaching its maximum point during the first hours of September 18.
In Monterrey the show will begin at 21:15 hours, reaching its apogee at 23:45 hours. The total duration of the eclipse will last approximately three and a half hours, and the phase of greatest darkness will last about an hour and a half; this is the best time to observe the astronomical phenomenon and take pictures!
Super Moons 2024
Make a note of the dates when there will be Super Moons this 2024 on the calendar! For after this lunar eclipse combined with Super Moon, there are still another two dates when we will be able to see the biggest and brightest moon in the sky.
- October 17 – The largest and brightest Super Moon of the year is expected, as the moon will be 100 kilometers closer to Earth.
- October 17 – October 17 – October 17 is expected to be the largest and brightest Super Moon of the year.
- November 15 – It will be the last Super Moon of 2024 and the last astronomical event of the year.