watch live
Science and Health

We've Waited 3 Decades For The Moon To Do This

Mark your calendars for Sept. 27. That's when scientists say a supermoon lunar eclipse will rule the sky for the first time in 30 years.

We've Waited 3 Decades For The Moon To Do This
Getty Images / David McNew
Article by Katie Link
SMS
September 3, 2015

If you've waited your whole life to see a supermoon lunar eclipse, you're in luck. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, let me explain.

Mark your calendars for Sept. 27 because all of us earthlings are in for a treat. Here's a simple breakdown of what a supermoon lunar eclipse is.

There are two players in this game. One is the supermoon. A moon is considered "super" when a full moon reaches the closest point to Earth on its elliptical orbit. This makes it appear about 14 percent larger and about 30 percent brighter. 

The other player is the lunar eclipse. These happen fairly often, just not at the same time as a supermoon. A lunar eclipse happens when the moon passes directly behind the Earth into the shadow the planet casts from the Sun. (Video via NASA)

Two-for-one sky shows like these are rare. It's only happened five times since 1910, and scientists say it won't happen again until 2029.

According to Earthsky.org, if you're in North America, you should head outside around 9:07 p.m. Eastern time to see the start of the show.

This video includes images from Getty Images and halfrain / CC BY-SA 2.0.