If you’re anywhere in North or South America, Europe, Africa, parts of West Asia or the eastern Pacific this Sunday, cross your fingers for clear skies. Because for the first time since 1982, a supermoon will coincide with a full lunar eclipse. And it will be well worth a look.
Here & Now‘s Meghna Chakrabarti and Peter O’Dowd talk to Kelly Beatty, senior editor at Sky & Telescope Magazine, about what to look for on Sunday night, and why this event is so special.
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Aligning his camera on the same star for nine successive exposures, Sky & Telescope contributing photographer Akira Fujii captured this record of the Moon's progress dead center through Earth's shadow on July 16, 2000. (Courtesy of Sky & Telescope)
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If Earth had no atmosphere, the Moon would look completely black during a total lunar eclipse. However, a little of the Sun's red light refracts through the atmosphere and into Earth's umbra, coloring the lunar disk during totality. Not shown to scale. (Courtesy of Sky & Telescope)
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A star shines below the partially eclipsed moon Wednesday morning October 8, 2014 in this picture made through an amateur astronomer's 8-inch telescope at 6:06 a.m. (Courtesy of Sky & Telescope)
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This map shows the parts of the world from which the total lunar eclipse is visible. The timing favors the Americas — especially the eastern parts. Because an eclipsed Moon is always full, the Moon sets (or rises) at almost the same time the Sun rises (or sets) on the opposite horizon.
(Courtesy of Sky & Telescope)
