There will be a partial lunar eclipse during the Super Harvest Moon in September, which you can watch online for free.
On Tuesday (September 17), there will be a partial lunar eclipse during the full moon that will be visible in North and South America (except Alaska), Europe, most of Africa, western Asia, and parts of Antarctica. This eclipse will occur during a “supermoon,” which makes the moon appear slightly larger in the night sky. This happens when the moon is slightly closer to Earth, which is because the moon’s orbit is slightly elliptical or oval.
If for some reason you are unable to watch the lunar eclipse in person, fortunately there are numerous live streams available online that you can use to watch the Super Harvest Moon lunar eclipse.
Lunar eclipses occur when the sun, earth and moon are aligned so that the earth casts its shadow on our natural satellite. This lunar eclipse will be faint, as only the top 8.7% of the moon will be covered by the darkest part of the earth’s shadow. Nevertheless, a lunar eclipse is a celestial spectacle that is worth seeing any time it occurs.
In the Eastern US time zone, the eclipse will begin at about 8:40 p.m. EDT on September 17 and will peak at about 10:44 p.m. EDT. In Europe and Africa, however, the eclipse will be visible in the early morning hours on September 18.
In London, the eclipse will be most visible on September 18 at around 03:45 CET.
Below are live streams of the Super Harvest Moon partial lunar eclipse. Watch them here on Space.com, courtesy of the channels listed:
Time and date
Watch on
TimeAndDate.com will host a live stream of the partial lunar eclipse starting at 9:00 p.m. ET on September 17 (1:00 a.m. GMT on September 18).
TimeAndDate offers many helpful eclipse resources, including interactive maps and times based on your location.
The virtual telescope project
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Astronomer Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project in Manciano, Italy, will also host a livestream of the “Super Harvest Moon” lunar eclipse. The project’s livestream will begin at 8:30 p.m. EDT on September 17 (12:30 a.m. GMT on September 18) and will provide live telescope views of the moon during the phases of the eclipse.
Adler Planetarium
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The Adler Planetarium in Chicago will also host a live stream of the lunar eclipse, beginning at 10 p.m. EDT or 9 p.m. CDT local time (September 18, 1 a.m. GMT).
In the Adler Planetarium live stream, astronomy teachers will provide live commentary on the eclipse and offer helpful tips on how to observe the event for yourself.
Looking at the moon
Whether there’s a lunar eclipse or not, the moon is always a beautiful sight up close. If you want to see craters and “seas” on the moon during a lunar eclipse or any other time, be sure to check out our guides to the best telescopes and best binoculars.
And if you want to try taking moon photos yourself, we have a guide to photographing the moon as well as lists of the best cameras for astrophotography and the best lenses for astrophotography.
Be sure to check out our Night Sky Tonight page and monthly skywatching calendar for more celestial events!
Editor’s note: If you get a great picture of the Moon during the partial lunar eclipse in September, and would like to share it with Space.com readers, send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to [email protected].
