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Sky watchers have a lot to look forward to in 2021, with three “supermoons,” a blue moon, and two lunar eclipses occurring in the New Year.
Astronomical experts say the three supermoons – full moons that appear to be slightly larger and brighter than a typical full moon due to their orbit closer to Earth – will rise in the sky for consecutive months: April , May and June.
The last time we saw a supermoon trifecta was in the first three months of 2019. After that, two supermoons appeared in 2020, one in March and one in April.
While 2020 featured a rare Halloween “blue moon” – the second of two full moons in the same calendar month – the blue moon that will appear in 2021 is a different type of blue moon.
The August 22 full moon will be considered a seasonal blue moon, which is the third of four full moons appearing in the same season. In this case, it will be the third full moon of summer. (The others are June 24, July 23, and September 20.)
Three supermoons are on tap in 2021. A supermoon is seen here rising over Kalamazoo, Michigan, May 7, 2020.Joel bissell
Total lunar eclipse in May
Some astronomical experts, including Brian Lada of AccuWeather, consider the lunar eclipse in May to be “the best astronomical event of the whole of 2021”.
The total eclipse will occur on the morning of May 26, when the Earth’s shadow blocks sunlight from shining on the moon’s surface as the three celestial bodies align in a straight line. During the eclipse, the color of the moon will become darker and appear to be a rusty-reddish tint, which is why some sky watchers will call it a “blood moon”.
The full moon in May is normally referred to as the “flower moon” because it is the time of year when many plants are blooming. But this year it will collect many nicknames, including blood moon, supermoon or super blood moon.
Note: Due to its early morning time, only part of this lunar eclipse will be visible in the eastern United States and most parts of North America, according to AccuWeather and other experts.
“The total eclipse itself will only be visible from the high plains, the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific coast” in the United States, says AccuWeather. “The eclipse will also be visible in parts of South America, Asia and East Asia.”
The moon often appears to be reddish orange during a lunar eclipse, which is why many sky watchers call it a “blood moon”. This image was taken during a lunar eclipse in Mercer County in December 2010.SL
Partial lunar eclipse in November
Even though a second lunar eclipse in November 2021 will be partial instead of a full one, sky watchers in the eastern United States should have very good eyesight, says AccuWeather, assuming the sky is clear at that time. -the.
You’ll also need to wake up early to see it.
The partial lunar eclipse will occur during the hours leading up to dawn on November 19, when the moon is officially in its fullest phase – shortly before 4 a.m. EST.
“The November lunar eclipse will be very close to a total lunar eclipse, with just a moon shard missing Earth’s dark inner shadow,” AccuWeather notes. “For this reason, the moon may briefly appear in orange or rusty red, like what happens at the height of a total eclipse.”
Dates, times, nicknames of this year’s full moons
If you want to mark your calendar for the best days to observe the moon in 2021, here is a list of the dates and times of each full moon, along with their most common nicknames. (Special thanks to the Farmers Almanac, The Old Farmer’s Almanac and TimeAndDate.com for the details.)
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