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Many more interesting facts about this September’s Supermoon eclipse get published each day as the event grows near. NASA was the first to make the official announcement and it seems that websites are crowding to share the news. Here are the most important aspect you need to know about this rare space phenomenon.
Supermoons occur when the planet gets closer than ever to our Earth. To make it easier for you to understand, the moon is usually located at a distance of 384,600 kilometers from our planet. The celestial body follows an elliptical pattern when orbiting the Earth, which is why it sometimes gets as close as 363,700 km to us when reaching its full moon apogee.
We perceive the full moon as being bigger than ever during this period of time. The phenomenon was for this reason called a Supermoon, whereas normal moons are called “minimoons”. NASA calculations have estimated that the moon is 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter when this event occurs.
Supermoons are highly anticipated by people all over the world due to the wonderful skyscapes they offer. Even so, there are much rarer phenomena that trigger more attention. Such is the case of the Supermoon eclipse which is due to take place on September 27. The fact that it has only occurred five times since 1900 should be reason enough for you to look forward for the space phenomenon.
On this date, the moon will get aligned with the Earth and the Sun, causing parts of its surface to get shadowed by our planet. This means the celestial body will not only be larger than ever but it will also appear red. Scientists have a term for this scenery, as well, they call it the “blood moon” because it recalls many spooky stories.
The Supermoon eclipse will begin to be visible at around 9 p.m. and it will last until 10:30 p.m., according to NASA’s announcement. It will be mainly visible from North America, whereas other countries may experience different degrees of visibility.
According to experts, it will not be visible at all in Hong Kong and great parts of Asia. African and European inhabitants will be able to see the Supermoon eclipse but on September 28th.
More news will come as we approach the due date.
Image source: www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk
