The next full moon is a supermoon and brings a partial lunar eclipse. How to watch

The September full moon is coming next week . But the Harvest Moon is bringing an additional gift to those who watch the sky — a partial lunar eclipse.

Here's how you can watch.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon — the Harvest Moon — will reach peak illumination at 10:34 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 17, according to the Farmer's Almanac. It will also be a supermoon, meaning it will appear larger and slightly brighter than usual.

When to see it: September 2024 full moon is a supermoon and harvest moon

What is the Harvest Moon?

Unlike the other full moon names throughout the year, the Harvest Moon isn't tied to a month.

Instead, the Harvest Moon is the full moon that happens closest to the autumnal equinox , which happens Sept. 22 this year. According to the Farmer's Almanac, this means the Harvest Moon can happen in September or October, depending on how the calendar lines up with the lunar cycle.

What is a supermoon?

A supermoon happens with the full moon coincides with the closest point of the moon's orbit around the Earth, according to Space.com . When a supermoon happens, the moon appears slightly bigger and brighter than normal, though the difference can be difficult to tell just by looking.

There are four supermoons in 2024: August, September, October and November, Fred Espanak, eclipse expert and retired NASA astrophysicist, tells Space.com.

When is the lunar eclipse on Tuesday?

Tuesday's supermoon also brings with it a lunar eclipse, though not much of one. Earth.com says only a small part of the moon, about 3.5%, will pass through the Earth's umbra, or shadow, making the moon appear as if a bite was taken out of it. Space.com puts that number slightly higher, at 8.7%.

The eclipse will be visible from much of North America and all of South American, per Space.com, and is perhaps best viewed with binoculars or a telescope.

If you want to catch a glimpse, here's when the show will start:

• Shading appears on the moon: 9:44 p.m.
• Moon enters umbra: 10:12 p.m.
• Greatest eclipse: 10:44 p.m.
• Moon leaves umbra: 11:16 p.m.
• Shading disappears: 11:43 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: The next full moon is a supermoon and brings a partial lunar eclipse. How to watch