When and where to see spectacular supermoon-eclipse twin event in Edinburgh
A dazzling celestial event will be visible over Edinburgh as September’s supermoon coincides with a rare partial lunar eclipse.
Stargazers can witness the event on the night of Tuesday, September 17 into the early hours of Wednesday, September 18.
The supermoon will rise around 7:15pm BST on Tuesday night. A few hours later, the partial eclipse will begin at about 1:40am on Wednesday morning, reaching its peak by 3:45am.
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Viewing the event will be unseasonably pleasant for Edinburgh stargazers, with temperatures starting at 19C and falling to 14C throughout the night.
The Met Office predicts good visibility for the hours leading into Wednesday morning with a near-zero chance of rain. However, partially cloudy skies may be present from 10pm-1am.
Onlookers can expect the moon to appear 14 per cent larger and 30 per cent brighter than normal. With clear skies, you will be able to see the supermoon without the aid of binoculars or a telescope.
Supermoons occur when the moon is at its closest distance to Earth in its orbit. Because its orbital path is oval-shaped, there are points where the moon is closer to the planet than usual.
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Typically, the moon is 238,900 miles away from our planet, but this week it will be 226,000 miles away, creating the spectacular supermoon.
According to NASA, the moon will appear full for about three days, from Monday September 16 to the morning of September 19.
Lunar eclipses take place when the moon passes through the Earth’s shadow. The partial eclipse is caused when the sun, Earth, and moon are not perfectly aligned, so just part of the moon passes through the shadow.
Supermoons only occur three or four times per year, and it is very rare for them to happen during a lunar eclipse.
Unlike with solar eclipses, protective eyewear is not necessary when enjoying the lunar eclipse.
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