Tonight's full moon is a rare supermoon, partial eclipse and harvest moon all in one
Get ready to look up, because tonight's full moon will be putting on a show across Canada.
On Tuesday night, not only will you see a supermoon — one of the biggest and brightest moons of the year — but there's also going to be a partial lunar eclipse. Oh, and did we mention it's also the harvest moon? Basically, the moon is putting in overtime tonight, and you definitely don't want to miss it.
So, what's happening exactly? First, the supermoon. This celestial event happens when the moon is both full and at its closest proximity to Earth, making it look extra big and bright. According to NASA, this will be the second of four consecutive supermoons, tied with the October full moon for being the closest of the year.
The moon will reach peak fullness at 10:35 p.m. Eastern Time, but it should appear full and bright all night while it's in the sky.
Now, let's talk about the lunar eclipse. While it's not a full eclipse, part of the moon will still slide into Earth's shadow, giving it a bit of a dim, shadowy vibe and even showing a small dark smudge at the top edge as it enters the Earth's umbra.
The penumbral stage of the eclipse will start around 8:41 p.m. EDT, although you might not see much of a difference right away, according to NASA. The partial eclipse really begins when it enters the umbra at 10:12 p.m., with the peak happening at 10:44 p.m., so make sure to get outside around that time for the best view.
The partial eclipse will be visible all across the country, at the following times based on time zone:
- Newfoundland Daylight Time: partial eclipse from 11:42 p.m. to 12:45 a.m.; peak at 12:14 a.m.
- Atlantic Daylight Time: partial eclipse from 11:12 p.m. to 12:15 a.m.; peak at 11:44 p.m.
- Eastern Daylight Time: partial eclipse from 10:12 p.m. to 11:15 p.m.; peak at 10:44 p.m.
- Central Daylight Time: partial eclipse from 9:12 p.m. to 10:15 p.m.; peak at 9:44 p.m.
- Mountain Daylight Time (CST in Saskatchewan): partial eclipse from 8:12 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.; peak at 8:44 p.m.
- Pacific Daylight Time: partial eclipse from 7:12 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.; peak at 7:44 p.m.
Only about 8% of the moon will be in the Earth's shadow, so it's subtle, but it's still worth taking a look if you've got an unobstructed view!
Oh, and for all the astrology and folklore fans out there, this is also the Harvest Moon — aka the full moon closest to the autumn equinox. Historically, this moon gave farmers extra light to finish their harvest late into the night, according to NASA — but now, it's mostly just a good excuse to look up and enjoy the view.
With all these cosmic events happening at once, tonight is the perfect night to grab a blanket, find a cozy spot and just chill under the night sky. Whether you're into the science, the folklore or just love looking at the moon, tonight's celestial show has a little something for everyone.
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This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
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