The Supermoon show is back, the second of 2024, which on this occasion will also be accompanied by a small partial eclipse. The space show will take place on the night between Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 September. An unmissable event for enthusiasts who will be able to watch the event both live and in live streaming. Let’s see in detail everything there is to know.
Supermoon September 17-18, 2024
In the early hours of September 18, in fact, the peak of a marginal darkening of the north-western edge of our satellite due to the Earth’s shadow will be reached. At 4:37 on September 18, the Moon will be full, about 10 hours before its passage at perigee (i.e. at its minimum distance from the Earth, at 357,283 km from us, against an average distance of just over 384,000 km): it will therefore be a little closer, brighter and a little larger than usual. This “overlap” between the full Moon and the passage at perigee is now popularly referred to as a “Supermoon”. The term, in itself, has no scientific value: in astronomy, it is preferred to speak of a Full Moon at Perigee, but without a doubt the name “Supermoon” has a charm all its own.
Also, at 4:45 on September 18th there will be the climax of the modest lunar eclipse expected that morning. It will begin at 2:41, with the satellite entering the Earth’s penumbra, continuing with the entry into the umbra at 4:12. After the climax, the exit from the umbra will occur at 5:16, with the end of the penumbra phase at 6:47, when the sky will be very light due to the imminent sunrise. This is a modest eclipse, which is still worth observing around the time of maximum.
What is the Supermoon?
Both the Full Moon and the New Moon are considered Supermoons, provided that they occur with our satellite close to its minimum distance from the Earth. In fact, the Moon describes a markedly elliptical orbit around our planet, so its distance from us is not constant, but varies between a minimum value (perigee) and a maximum value (apogee). Naturally, the New Moon is not visible in the sky, so the only observable Supermoon is the full one (unless a solar eclipse occurs at the same time as the New Supermoon, as happened in March 2016). In 2024, there will be nine Supermoons: four full and five new.
“The next Supermoon will appear about 7% larger and a little brighter than average, but only an expert observer could perhaps realize this – says Gianluca Masi, astrophysicist, scientific director of the Virtual Telescope Project -. In fact, these are variations that are far from striking, but which nevertheless add charm to the event, a precious opportunity to admire our natural satellite in the context of the night sky, a landscape that is increasingly neglected and forgotten”.
Observation Guide
The spectacle of the Full Moon, even more so that of the Supermoon, is at its maximum at its rising, or at the setting of the Sun, or at the sunset of our satellite, or at dawn (the Full Moon shines in the sky on the opposite side to our star, so it rises at the setting of the Sun and sets at dawn). “During twilight – underlines Gianluca Masi – the residual sunlight allows us to admire the terrestrial landscape while the Full Moon rises or sets on the horizon. At night its light is very intense, almost dazzling, compared to the very discreet light of the landscape. At its rising or setting, the Moon projects itself behind buildings and elements of the landscape, generating the sensation that its disk is larger, but it is only an optical illusion, due precisely to the presence in the visual field of terms of comparison, taken from the environment”.
The Supermoon of September 17-18 will also be a “guest” of the zodiac constellations of Aquarius and Pisces. For those who cannot see the show with the naked eye, the Virtual Telescope Project will film and show the Supermoon and the partial eclipse live with its instruments installed in Manciano, in the province of Grosseto, with commentary by astrophysicist Gianluca Masi. The live broadcast is part of the initiatives of the International Night of the Moon 2024 organized by NASA, an initiative of which the Virtual Telescope Project has been an official supporter since 2019. The event is completely free and to participate, simply connect to the Virtual Telescope Project website: the appointment is for 2:30 on Wednesday, September 18.