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A supermoon occurs when the moon is particularly close to the earth, making it up to seven percent larger than usual. © Peter Kneffel/dpa
The full moon in September is a supermoon. But that’s not all: the partial lunar eclipse creates a special celestial spectacle.
Berlin – In August, the supposed supermoon narrowly missed the actual definition of the celestial spectacle. But now the time has come. The full moon in September 2024 will be a real Supermond and due to the partial lunar eclipse There is even another celestial spectacle in store for Germany. But when and at what time can the double celestial spectacle with supermoon and lunar eclipse be admired in September?
Supermoon and partial lunar eclipse in September 2024: When the full moon can be seen
But to marvel at the full splendor of the supermoon and partial lunar eclipse in September 2024, fans will have to become real night owls or early risers at the early hour when the September full moon, which has many names, shows its brightest side.
Because according to the information from timeanddate.de The double natural event will take place on the night of September 17th to 18th. Then the distance between the Earth and the Moon will be only 357,500 kilometers. The Moon will reach the full moon phase on this day at 04:34 CEST. However, the Moon will not be at its closest distance from the Earth until September 18th at 15:23 at 357,286 km.
Supermoon in September 2024: Moon illusion makes the moon appear even bigger
The supermoon is particularly spectacular and photogenic when it is just above the horizon directly after moonrise or shortly before moonset. Then a psychological phenomenon called the lunar illusion makes the moon appear even larger to us.
Supermoon in September 2024: When does the full moon fall under the unofficial definition
When is a full moon a supermoon?
In astronomy, the supermoon is not a recognized term. Therefore, there is no official definition of this phenomenon. Our calculations are based on the following limit:
A supermoon occurs when the moon is less than 360,000 kilometers away. The supermoon not only appears larger in the sky, but also up to 30 percent brighter – because its surface appears larger and more light reaches the earth, according to NASA. When the moon is at its furthest point (406,740 kilometers), however, it appears up to 14 percent smaller, according to NASA.
What is special about a supermoon?
Because the moon is closer to the earth than usual during a supermoon, the full moon appears approximately seven to 14 percent larger in the night sky than on normal lunar days, according to NASA. The difference is equivalent to the difference between a one-euro and a two-euro coin. Due to the increasing surface area, more sunlight is reflected by the moon, so that it also appears significantly brighter.
Supermoon in September 2024: At what time the full moon will move into the Earth’s shadow for the partial lunar eclipse
Next to the Supermoon, there will be a partial lunar eclipse in September 2024 as already mentioned. “The natural event begins at 2:39 am, when the Mond into the penumbra of the Earth. This change is barely perceptible to our eyes. Our satellite only reaches the umbra at 4:12 a.m.,” explains astrophysicist Dr. Björn Voss, director of the planetarium in Hamburg, in connection with the full moon in September, which is also known as the autumn moon or harvest moon. Anyone who wants to see the partial lunar eclipse in Germany has to get up early, because the most exciting phase in Germany takes place from 4:12 a.m. to 5:17 a.m.
As long as the weather cooperates, both the full moon, the supermoon and the partial lunar eclipse should be visible in Germany on the night of September 17th to 18th. In Munich, for example, the different phases begin as follows:
Partial lunar eclipse and supermoon in September 2024: Full moon is slowly being “nibbled away”
To further explain, apart from the supermoon, Voß adds about the partial lunar eclipse resulting from the full moon in September 2024: “Now we get the impression that a piece of the moon is slowly being ‘nibbled away’. However, even at the maximum of the eclipse at 4:44 a.m., only 9.1 percent of the moon is obscured. The rest of the ‘lunar disk’ looks more like it is covered by a gray veil.” P
At exactly 5:15 a.m. the spectacle is over again – the moon leaves the Earth’s umbra and at 6:49 a.m. the penumbra. “This smaller partial lunar eclipse may not be breathtaking, but it is still exciting to watch,” says Voss.
The moon – one celestial body, many facets
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Partial lunar eclipse and supermoon in September: Expert raves about the surroundings of the full moon
The expert emphasizes that one should also pay attention to the surroundings of the moon during the partial lunar eclipse on September 18, 2024: “For example, the Pegasus square sparkles above and to the right of the moon, while below and to the right of it the Gas giant Saturn shines. For me, it is probably the most beautiful sight of the month,” enthuses Voss, apart from the supermoon and the double celestial spectacle in September.
During the eclipse, the moon will be in the southwest sky, between the constellations Pisces and Aquarius. A little further east, the planets Jupiter and Mars will also be visible in the sky.
Full moon and lunar eclipse in September 2024: When the next supermoon will be visible
A lunar eclipse can only be seen Full moon occur when the moon – from the perspective of the Sonne – passes behind the earth. The sun, earth and full moon are in a row, the earth’s shadow moves across the moon and obscures it. However, because the moon’s orbit is slightly tilted, a full moon usually does not produce a lunar eclipse – the moon then passes above or below the sun-earth axis and not through the earth’s shadow.
The lunar eclipse is followed by the solar eclipse
Because of the complicated celestial mechanics, two weeks before or after a lunar eclipse there is always a Solar eclipseThe next time it will happen is on October 2, 2024: an annular solar eclipse will be visible in the sky – but almost only over the Pacific.
If some fans of the September supermoon are not night owls or early risers, they won’t have to wait long for the next celestial spectacle of this kind. Because while the Earth will “capture” a second moon for two months, the next supermoon is already on the way on October 17, 2024.
