For the first time in 30 years, space aficionados will be able to witness a supermoon in combination with a lunar eclipse on Sunday, September 27.
In celebration, Stony Brook University is hosting a viewing night and opening up its rooftop telescope observatory to the community, along with providing several smaller-scale telescopes.
The viewing party, hosted by Stony Brooks’ Astronomy Club and Japanese Student Organization, takes place on the rooftop of the Earth Sciences and Space Building. A partial lunar eclipse begins at 8:00 p.m.; the supermoon total eclipse begins at 10:00 p.m. (and will last approximately one hour and 11 minutes).
A total lunar eclipse happens when the full moon passes through the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, projecting a reddish hue due to sunlight. Sunday’s “supermoon” will appear 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than a normal full moon. If you miss this event, you’ll have to wait a while — the next supermoon eclipse won’t occur until 2033.
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