Member-only story
How to Watch Tonight’s Rare Supermoon Lunar Eclipse
Late tonight, a supermoon lunar eclipse will take place across most of North and South America, Africa, and parts of Europe. But what actually happens during a lunar eclipse, and when should you look up at the night sky to see it?
What is a lunar eclipse?
A lunar eclipse is an event in which the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon. This causes Earth’s shadow to block sunlight. The Earth does not completely block the sunlight, however, and some manage to pass through Earth’s atmosphere. This little bit of light hits the Moon, turning it red instead of its normal white hue.
Solar eclipses do not occur every time the Moon passes in front of the Sun, and lunar eclipses do not occur every time the Earth is in between the Sun and the Moon. Why? The Moon does not orbit Earth on exactly the same plane as the Earth orbits the Sun. This means that there are only certain times per year when the Moon lines up in the right place for eclipses to take place. These times of year are called eclipse seasons, lasting around 35 days and happening about 6 months apart.
During a single eclipse season, both a solar eclipse and lunar eclipse usually occur, and sometimes a third eclipse also takes place if the timing is right. But these eclipses are not visible in all parts of the…
