CINCINNATI, Oh. – Skywatchers will be treated to another celestial event on the evening of Tuesday, September 17th. The moon will undergo a partial lunar eclipse, easily visible for anyone in the tri-state, weather permitting. Instead of the whole moon falling into the Earth’s shadow, just a small “bite” of the moon will disappear for about an hour. Those wanting to view the eclipse can find the moon toward the east-southeast on the evening of September 17th, with the easily visible portion of the eclipse lasting from roughly 10:12 – 11:15pm.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes directly between the moon and the sun, with the Earth casting a shadow on the moon’s surface. While we have been lucky to witness two solar eclipses over the past year, lunar eclipses are viewed much more frequently for any given location on the Earth. Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses do not require any special equipment for viewing.
“Lunar eclipses can be a nice, laid-back viewing experience that people can enjoy from their backyard,” explains Dr. Wes Ryle, astronomer for the Cincinnati Observatory. “This eclipse occurs relatively early in the evening and has a short duration, making it more convenient for viewing, especially since it occurs on a weeknight.”
Because the eclipse is occurring on a Tuesday evening and is easily visible with the naked eye, the Cincinnati Observatory is not planning a public event. If it is cloudy on the evening of the eclipse, there is always the opportunity to watch a livestream of the eclipse from a different location.
This eclipse also occurs during one of four supermoons in a row happening this fall. A supermoon happens when the full moon coincides with the moon being nearing its closest approach to the Earth, known as perigee. The smaller distance makes the moon appear slightly larger and brighter than the typical full moon. This year’s August, September, October, and November full moons are all supermoons, with the closest approach occurring for the October 17th supermoon. The Cincinnati Observatory will be holding a Supermoon festival the evening of October 17th, from 6-9pm, where participants can watch the moonrise and learn about the moon and upcoming lunar exploration.
Astronomy lovers can also look forward to a total lunar eclipse visible from our area next spring, though the timing won’t be nearly as convenient. In the early morning hours of March 14th, 2025, the Moon will disappear completely into the Earth’s shadow, producing the deep crimson effect known as a “blood moon”.
ABOUT DR. WES RYLE AND THE CINCINNATI OBSERVATORY
Dr. Wes Ryle is a Ph.D. astronomer with more than 16 years of experience in public outreach and teaching in the tri-state area. He has been the astronomer at The Cincinnati Observatory since June of 2024. The Cincinnati Observatory is known as ‘The Birthplace of American Astronomy.’ It houses one of the oldest working telescopes in the world and was the first public observatory in the western hemisphere. Visit www.cincinnatiobservatory.org for more details.
