Moon's "Super" phase partially shrouded in darkness
On Wednesday evening, sky-watchers can anticipate a spectacular celestial display: a Supermoon, which is a particularly close full moon due to its elliptical orbit around Earth, and a partial lunar eclipse early in the morning.
As Uwe Pilz, head of the Stargazing Friends Association in southern Hesse, Bensheim, explains, "The moon has an elliptical orbit around the Earth, and it gets close to us once a month. Sometimes, this coincides with a full moon."
The moon's fluctuating distance from Earth
The distance between the Moon and our planet varies between 406,000 and 356,000 kilometers. When the September full moon occurs at a distance of 357,500 kilometers, it's considered a 'Supermoon,' whereas a 'Mini-moon' occurs when the Moon is further away from Earth.
Although the Moon will not appear significantly larger during a Supermoon, it will appear about 14 percent larger than when it's farther away. For a size comparison, a "Supermoon" may appear somewhat larger than a "normal" full moon, similar to the difference between a two-euro and a one-euro coin.
High tides and seismic activities
The close proximity of the full moon to Earth can lead to higher tides along the coasts, as well as trigger earthquakes and volcanic eruptions during these days.
The partial lunar eclipse and suitable weather
Stargazers can witness the partial lunar eclipse if the weather allows. Between 4:13 and 5:16 am, the right side of the moon's disc will darken, and the effect will be most noticeable at 4:44 am. During this event, the moon, right at the time of the full moon, will pass through Earth's orbit and partially enter the Planetarium Hamburg noted that on Wednesday morning, only 9.1 percent of the moon will be covered, making the rest of the moon's disc appear as if covered by a gray veil.
The celestial event on Wednesday evening is particularly exciting due to the Supermoon, with the Moon getting unusually close to Earth, falling within its elliptical orbit.During such a Supermoon, the Moon appears slightly larger than during its typical full moon phase, similar to the difference between a two-euro and a one-euro coin.
