In just a few days we will be able to see a total lunar eclipse before bedding down for the night. On the night of Sept. 27-28, when the moon is full in the sky, most of North America and all of South America will be able to witness this event.
The night of Sept. 27 will mark the closest supermoon of 2015. It’s the Northern Hemisphere’s Harvest Moon, or full moon nearest the September equinox. It is also the Southern Hemisphere’s first full moon of spring. This September’s full moon is also called a Blood Moon because it is the fourth and final eclipse of a lunar tetrad: four straight total eclipses of the moon, spaced at six lunar months (full moons) apart.
The total lunar eclipse is visible from most of North America and all of South America after sunset September 27. From eastern South America and Greenland, the greatest eclipse happens around midnight September 27-28. In Europe, Africa and the Middle East, the total eclipse takes place in the wee hours of the morning, after midnight and before sunrise September 28. A partial lunar eclipse can be seen after sunset September 27 from western Alaska, or before sunrise September 28 in far-western Asia.
Animation of the September 28, 2015, total lunar eclipse. Moon passes through southern half of the Earth’s shadow from west to east. Horizontal yellow line depicts the ecliptic – Earth’s orbital plane projected onto the dome of sky. The inner bull’s-eye shadow depicts the umbra (dark shadow). The penumbra (faint shadow) encircles the umbra.
Eclipse times for North American time zones:
Atlantic Daylight Time (September 27, 2015)
Partial umbral eclipse begins: 10:07 p.m. ADT on September 27
Total eclipse begins: 11:11 p.m. ADT
Greatest eclipse: 11:47 p.m. ADT
Total eclipse ends: 12:23 a.m. ADT on September 28
Partial eclipse ends: 1:27 a.m. ADT on September 28
Eastern Daylight Time (September 27, 2015)
Partial umbral eclipse begins: 9:07 p.m. EDT on September 27
Total eclipse begins: 10:11 p.m. EDT
Greatest eclipse: 10:47 p.m. EDT
Total eclipse ends: 11:23 p.m. EDT
Partial eclipse ends: 12:27 a.m. EDT on September 28
Central Daylight Time (September 27, 2015)
Partial umbral eclipse begins: 8:07 p.m. CDT on September 27
Total eclipse begins: 9:11 p.m. CDT
Greatest eclipse: 9:47 p.m. CDT
Total eclipse ends: 10:23 p.m. CDT
Partial eclipse ends: 11:27 p.m. CDT
Mountain Daylight Time (September 27, 2015)
Partial umbral eclipse begins: 7:07 p.m. MDT on September 27
Total eclipse begins: 8:11 p.m. MDT
Greatest eclipse: 8:47 p.m. MDT
Total eclipse ends: 9:23 p.m. MDT
Partial eclipse ends: 10:27 p.m. MDT
Pacific Daylight Time (September 27, 2015)
Partial umbral eclipse begins: 6:07 p.m. PDT on September 27
Total eclipse begins: 7:11 p.m. PDT
Greatest eclipse: 7:47 p.m. PDT
Total eclipse ends: 8:23 p.m. PDT
Partial eclipse ends: 9:27 p.m. PDT
Alaskan Daylight Time (September 27, 2015)
Partial umbral eclipse begins before sunset September 27
Total eclipse begins before sunset
Greatest eclipse: 6:47 p.m. ADT
Total eclipse ends: 7:23 p.m. ADT
Partial eclipse ends: 8:27 p.m. ADT
Irene W. Pennington Planetarium 