Partial lunar eclipse of the supermoon to be visible in Massachusetts tonight
BOSTON - This is no ordinary full moon. Are you ready for the "Super, Corn, Harvest, full, partial eclipse moon" tonight?
This will be a treat in the skies above Massachusetts. The moon is officially full in Boston at 10:35 p.m. on Tuesday. The September full moon is known as the "Harvest Moon" and also sometimes called the "Corn Moon."
The moon will rise in the evening at 6:46 p.m.
Tonight's supermoon
What makes tonight's full moon a supermoon?
A supermoon is simply a full moon that occurs when the moon is closest to Earth in its orbit (also known as perigee). This tends to happen about three-to-four times each year, and we'll get another one next month. Supermoons look a bit larger and brighter than a typical full moon.
What time does the lunar eclipse start tonight?
Finally, we get one final treat as tonight's moon will also be partially eclipsed.
Don't get too excited. As lunar eclipses go, this one is going to be pretty minor.
At its peak, the Earth's shadow will cover only 9% of the moon's diameter. This means about 4% of the moon's surface will enter the umbra, the darkest portion of the Earth's shadow. Most of the action occurs in the penumbra tonight, a much lighter and partial shadow cast by Earth. This will be barely noticeable to the naked eye.
The best time to view the eclipse would be between 10:12 p.m. and 11:17 p.m. This is when the northern extent of the moon will be in the umbra.
Lunar eclipse forecast
The clouds will also add a degree of difficulty tonight around Boston.
There will be a layer of high clouds moving in Tuesday evening and this will likely add a bit of a blurry veil to the event.
Still, if you happen to be outside tonight, say at Fenway Park for the Pearl Jam concert, it will definitely be worth taking a look!
If you happen to snap any pics, we would love to see them! Send them to weather@wbztv.com
