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16th September 2024
02:46pm BST
A supermoon eclipse will be visible over Ireland this week, with the phenomenon noticeable to Irish stargazers in the early hours of Wednesday, September 18.
Astronomy Ireland is advising anyone looking to catch a glimpse of the partial eclipse of the Moon that they'll have to stay up very late, or wake up early, as it runs for just over an hour from 3:13am to 4:16am.
This is an especially rare eclipse as this Full Moon is a SuperMoon meaning the Moon is at its closest to Earth, and is also a Harvest Moon.
Mid eclipse is around 3:44am when a large dark 'bite' will be taken out of the Moon's top edge - this is the Earth's shadow in space crossing the lunar surface.
The weather forecast for the rare phenomenon is looking very promising .
"Met Eireann is forecasting mostly clear skies for the whole of Ireland so everyone should get to see this SuperMoon eclipse, a very rare event, so it is well worth staying up for and booking a day's holiday if you have work the next day!" said David Moore, Editor of Astronomy Ireland magazine.
"No equipment, just the naked eye, is needed to see the eclipse. But if you do have binoculars you will get a close up view" said Mr Moore.
This is a partial eclipse of the Moon so the Full Moon will not turn red (the so-called 'Blood Moon') that we get during a Total Eclipse of the Moon.
However, the next Lunar Eclipse in March next year will be a Total Lunar Eclipse and will be visible from Ireland (that eclipse will not be a SuperMoon however).
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