-Morgan O’Halloran
On Sunday, September 27, 2015 at 10:10 am EDT, there is going to be the first supermoon lunar eclipse since 1982! And it’s going to be the last supermoon lunar eclipse until 2033! Why?
A supermoon is when a full moon happens at the same time that the moon reaches its closest point on its orbit around the earth. This occurs because, as some of you might know, the moon’s orbit is not perfectly round; it is an ellipse.
What does this mean? Well, it means that on Sunday the moon is going to appear 14% bigger than usual! And yes, I know that 14% doesn’t sound like a lot but trust me, it is.
The reason that supermoon lunar eclipses are so rare is because supermoons on their own are very rare but the fact that a supermoon is happening during a lunar eclipse is amazing! A lunar eclipse is when the sun, earth and moon align. In fact, there is less that a 1/100 chance a supermoon lunar eclipse happens! A rare event indeed!
So grab your binoculars, telescopes and extra-large magnifying glasses, and say “Hi” to the supermoon!
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