Poor Viewing Conditions Likely for Supermoon Lunar Eclipse

The moon appears 14 percent larger and can look up to 30 percent brighter than a regular full moon, NASA writes.

Sunday’s moon is also known as a “blood moon” because of its reddish appearance during the event, and that color may be enhanced due to wildfires in the western U.S.

When the moon is finally at its full phase close by or at the satellite’s near approach to earth, supermoons occur.

A supermoon lunar eclipse is taking place Sunday night/Monday morning, and if you miss your chance to see it you’ll have to wait until 2033 for the next one.

First Alert meteorologists Ryan Hanrahan and Tyler Jankoski have been tracking a storm over the southeastern states and are concerned that high clouds will be overhead when the eclipse occurs late Sunday evening.

When the “supermoon” lunar eclipse starts Sunday, Californians won’t be able to see it.

Here’s what will happen: The moon will move into the amber core of the Earth’s shadow at 8:07 p.m. and will proceed to darken and change color as the eclipse reaches totality between 9:11 p.m. and 10:23 p.m., according to the Adler Planetarium.

Another unofficial term associated with the event is the phrase “blood moon”.

McCrady said this particular lunar eclipse occurred when the moon was at “perigee”, or when the moon was at the closest point on its ellipse.

It’s pretty phenomenal that a lunar eclipse is taking place in conjunction with a supermoon. The Earth is eclipsing (passing in front of) the Sun, and sunlight is refracting though our atmosphere and shining onto the lunar surface. The event will be held on campus beginning at 5 p.m. with $5 admission fee.

“That’s what happened to us with the last total eclipse”, Nichols said.

Unlike the recent Perseid meteor shower, people can witness the supermoon lunar eclipse from anywhere in California as long as there is a clear view of the eastern horizon. So when you look through the atmosphere, you can still see red light from the sun, but it’s gone straight through.