RARE TREAT: SUPER BLOOD MOON/HARVEST MOON WITH TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE

Sky gazers are in for a rare celestial treat this Sunday.
 A ‘super blood moon’ will be visible on the sky canvas on September 27/28. The moon will once We’ve told you that on Sept. 27 a supermoon lunar eclipse will occur in the U.S. And much of the world, but what does that mean?
One important note, is that this event can be referred to in many different ways:
Supermoon Lunar Eclipse
Super Blood Moon
Harvest Moon Eclipse
Supermoon Eclipse
1) Supermoon

A supermoon is a full or new moon that falls closest to the fall equinox, and is at its closest approach to the Earth. This results in the moon appearing up to 14% larger in diameter
.
2) Lunar Eclipse

A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly behind the Earth into its shadow. This can give the moon a red tint.
3) A Supermoon Lunar Eclipse!

The combination of these two events does not happen very often. In fact, since 1900 a supermoon lunar eclipse has only happened 5 times! The last time this occurred was 1982, and if you miss the event this year, your next opportunity won’t come until 2033.
This year, the event will be visible from the Americas, Europe and Africa on the night of Sept. 27. Here’s a full schedule of the supermoon eclipse:

All slightly different names, but apply to the same spectacular event that will occur this weekend.
Since it’s rare that both a supermoon and an lunar eclipse occur at the same time, let’s break it down. again drown in the Earth’s shadow to give us a total lunar eclipse. The total lunar eclipse will be the fourth such event in the last 17 months.

What actually happens is pretty simple to understand. The Moon shifts into the shadow of Mother Earth and the light being refracted through the planet’s atmosphere paints the Moon in a deep-red color. Early civilizations took this as an ominous sign of a nearing apocalypse. Today, we simply grab telescopes and/or binoculars and enjoy the view.

The moon does not make its own light; it reflects light it receives from the sun. During a lunar eclipse, the moon appears less and less bright as sunlight is blocked by the Earth’s shadow. As totality approaches, sunlight reaches the moon indirectly and is refracted around the “edges” of Earth, through Earth’s atmosphere. Because of this, almost all colors except red are “filtered” out, and the eclipsed moon appears reddish or dark brown. This filtering is caused by particulates in our atmosphere; when there have been a lot of fires and/or volcanic eruptions, lunar eclipses will appear darker and redder. This eerie -- but harmless -- effect has earned the phenomenon the nickname “blood moon.”

Lunar eclipses in general are sometimes called ‘blood moons’ because the light bouncing off the moon is refracted through the Earth’s atmosphere giving it a coppery hue (it’s the same mechanism that make sunsets and sunrises look red). 

Supermoons occur when the moon reaches its full phase at or near the satellite's closest approach to Earth, and appears abnormally large and bright as a result. The Sept. 27 event is quite special; the last supermoon eclipse occurred in 1982, and the next won't take place until 2033.

 A Supermoon is a full Moon or a new Moon at its closest point to Earth; also called perigee. A Supermoon looks around 12 to 14% bigger than its counterpart, the Micromoon.

Perigee and Apogee

The Moon's orbit around the Earth is not a perfect circle, but elliptical, with one side closer to the Earth than the other.

The point on the Moon's orbit closest to the Earth, is called the perigee and the point farthest away is the apogee.

238,000 Miles on Average.This means that the distance between the Moon and Earth varies throughout the month and the year. On average the distance is about 238,000 miles or 382,900 kilometers.

Moon Phases worldwide

When a full Moon or new Moon coincides with being closest to Earth, it is called a Supermoon, Super Full Moon, or Super New Moon.

A Supermoon looks around 12 to 14% bigger than a Micromoon, according to NASA.

A Micromoon, on the other hand, is when a full or a new Moon is farthest from the Earth (apogee). It's also sometimes known as a Minimoon, Mini Full Moon or a Mini New Moon.

Supermoon: A full or new Moon that occurs when the Moon is less than 360,000 kilometers (ca. 223,694 miles) from the center of the Earth.

Micromoon: A full Moon or new Moon that takes place when the Moon is farther than 400,000 kilometers (ca. 248,548 miles) from the Earth.

Technical Name: Perigee-syzygy

The technical term for a supermoon is perigee-syzygy of the Earth-Moon-Sun system. In astronomy, the term syzygy refers to the straight-line configuration of three celestial bodies.

Natural Disaster Trigger?

Although the Sun and the Moon’s alignment cause a small increase in tectonic activity, the effects of the Supermoon on Earth are minor. Many scientists have conducted studies and haven’t found anything significant that can link the Super Moon to natural disasters.

According to NASA, the combination of the Moon being at its closest and at full Moon, should not affect the internal energy balance of the Earth since there are lunar tides every day. There is a small difference in tidal forces exerted by the Moon’s gravitational pull at lunar perigee. However, the difference is too small to overcome the larger forces within the planet.

 27 September / 28 September 2015 — Total Lunar Eclipse

In the US, Canada, and Central and South America, this rare Total Lunar Eclipse of a Supermoon will begin on the evening of September 27, 2015. In Europe, South/East Asia, Africa, the Arctic, and in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans it starts after midnight on September 28, 2015.

11 Facts About the September 27/ 28, 2015 Blood Moon Eclipse

On September 28, 2015, a rare Total Lunar Eclipse of a Super Full Moon will be visible from most of North America, South America, Europe, West Asia and parts of Africa. Here are 11 facts you should know about this eclipse.

1. A Rare Eclipse of a Supermoon

The full Moon of September 27/28 is a Supermoon – the Moon will be closest to the Earth. or at its perigee, as it turns into a full Moon. A rising Super Full Moon can look larger and brighter to spectators on Earth.

Total eclipses of Super Full Moons are rare. According to NASA, they have only occurred 5 times in the 1900s – in 1910, 1928, 1946, 1964 and 1982. After the September 27/ 28, 2015 Total Lunar Eclipse, a Supermoon eclipse will not happen again for another 18 years, until October 8, 2033.

2. People in the US Will Get Front Row Seats

People in eastern and central areas of the United States and Canada will have some of the best views of the Total Lunar Eclipse on the night of September 27, 2015, weather permitting. Here, the eclipse will begin after moonrise and finish around midnight (00:00 on September 28).

Those on the West Coast will miss the beginning stages of the eclipse because they will happen before moonrise.

It will be the last Total Lunar Eclipse visible from mainland USA until January 31, 2018.

3. Late Night & Early Morning Eclipse

While North and South Americans will be able to see the eclipse after sunset on September 27, 2015, people in Africa, Europe and Middle East can view it during the early hours of September 28, before the Sun rises.

4. No Need for Eye Protection

A partial solar eclipse looks like the Moon has taken a bite of the Sun.

©bigstockphoto.com/underworld1

Lunar eclipses can be spectacular and they are easy to see with the naked eye. Unlike solar eclipses, which require protective eye wear, a lunar eclipse can be viewed without specialized eye wear.

5. A Solar Eclipse Takes Place Two Weeks Before

Solar and lunar eclipses come in pairs – a lunar eclipse always takes place two weeks before or after a solar eclipse. The September 27/ 28, 2015 Total Lunar Eclipse will be preceded by a Partial Solar Eclipse on September 13, 2015.

6. It's Part of a Lunar Tetrad

The September 28, 2015 Total Lunar Eclipse is the fourth and final eclipse in a series of four total lunar eclipses called the lunar tetrad. The first three eclipses of the tetrad took place on April 15, 2014, October 8, 2014 and on April 4, 2015.

Notice something interesting about the dates? Each of the eclipses in the tetrad occurs about 6 months apart and have 5 full Moons between them!

Lunar tetrads can be rare in some centuries and can occur frequently in others. The 21st century will have 8 lunar tetrads, the maximum number of lunar tetrads that can occur in a century. The last time this happened was in the 9th century!

The next lunar tetrad of the 21st century will start with the April 25, 2032 Total Lunar Eclipse.

7. ...And is Being Called a Blood Moon

Rayleigh scattering can cause the Moon to look red during a lunar eclipse.

In recent years, the term Blood Moon has been frequently used to refer to total lunar eclipses. Some sources suggest that the term stems from the Bible. Christian pastors Mark Blitz and John Hagee claim that the eclipses of the 2014-2015 lunar tetrad fulfill a Biblical prophecy of forthcoming difficult and trying times.

Astronomers do not use Blood Moon as a scientific term. However, it is possible that the term came to describe total lunar eclipses because of the reddish color the eclipsed Moon takes on during totality. This happens because of Rayleigh scattering, the same mechanism that causes colorful sunrises and sunsets.

8. Despite Rumors, the World Will Not End

Relax! The World will not end.

The views of pastors Blitz and Hagee gathered attention in early 2014, because the eclipses in the tetrad coincide with important Jewish festivals. The eclipses in April 2014 and April 2015 occured at the same time as Passover, while the October 2014 and September 2015 eclipses occur during the Feast of Tabernacles. Some people took this coincidence as a sign of the end of times.

Others have dismissed any apocalyptic significance of the tetrad. Data of past eclipses show that at least eight lunar tetrads have coincided with Jewish holidays since the First Century.

The Jewish Calendar is a lunar calendar and Passover always occurs around a full Moon. Since a total lunar eclipse can only occur on a full Moon night, it is very likely that an eclipse will take place on or near Passover.

In conclusion, scientists and astronomers have found no reason to believe that the current lunar tetrad is a sign of the world to end. Even mainstream religious organizations have debunked this claim, so don't start hoarding end-of-the-world supplies just yet!

9. It will Happen on Harvest Moon

The Harvest Moon is the first full Moon of the Northern Hemisphere fall (autumn).

The Lunar Eclipse on September 27/ 28, 2015 will occur during the Northern Hemisphere's first fall (autumn) full Moon. Called the Harvest Moon in many northern cultures, it is the full Moon closest to the September Equinox, and is astronomically significant.

On average the Moon rises about 50 minutes later every successive day in a lunar month – the time period between two full Moons or two new Moons. In New York, for example, a new Moon will rise at 6:50 am on September 13. On September 14, the Moon will rise almost 60 minutes later at 7:46 am.

Around the Northern Hemisphere's Harvest Moon, this time difference between two successive moonrises decreases to about 30-40 minutes for a few days. In New York, a full Moon will rise at 6:36 pm (18:36) on September 27 and on September 28, the Moon will rise 40 minutes later at 7:16 pm (19:16).

This curious phenomenon, which is also sometimes called the Harvest Moon Effect occurs because of the low angle that the Moon's path around the Earth makes with the horizon during the northern fall (autumn) months. This effect reverses during the Northern Hemisphere spring. The large angle that the lunar orbit makes with the horizon ensures that the moon rises more than 50 minutes later every day around the northern Spring Equinox.

Because seasons in the Southern Hemisphere are opposite to the seasons in the North, the Harvest Moon Effect occurs around the southern Fall (Autumn) Equinox in March.

A Super Full Moon is also known as a Perigee Moon.

10. It is Part of Lunar Saros Series 137

Like solar eclipses, lunar eclipses tend to occur in 18 year long cycles called Saros cycles. Lunar eclipses separated by a Saros cycle share similar features, including time of the year and the distance of the Moon from the Earth. Eclipses that are separated by a Saros cycle are included in a Saros series.

The September 27/ 28, 2015 Lunar Eclipse belongs to Saros Series 137. It is the 28th eclipse and the last total lunar eclipse in a series of 81 lunar eclipses. The series began with a penumbral eclipse on December 17, 1564 and will end with another penumbral eclipse on April 20, 2953.

11. It's the Last Eclipse of 2015

2015 has 4 eclipses, the minimum number of eclipses that can happen in a calendar year. The September 28 Total Lunar Eclipse marks the last eclipse of the year. It will be preceded by a partial solar eclipse on September 13, 2015.

The first eclipse of the year, a total solar eclipse took place on March 20. Two weeks later, on April 4, 2015 the first lunar eclipse of 2015 took place.

Why Red?

The reason why the Moon takes on a reddish color during totality is a phenomenon called Rayleigh scattering. It is the same mechanism responsible for causing colorful sunrises and sunsets and the sky to look blue.

For people younger than 33, this will be their first-ever chance to see a "super blood moon".

Monday's "blood moon" will be the last in a string of four total lunar eclipses since April 15, 2014, in a series astronomers call a tetrad.

The last, only the fifth recorded since 1900, was in 1982, according to the NASA space agency, and the next will not be until 2033.

If it’s cloudy in your area on Sept. 27, don’t worry! NASA Television will be providing a live stream of the event, so you can tune in and enjoy the show.

For more information and resources on the supermoon lunar eclipse, visit our page on NASA.gov.


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