Moon to enter Earth's shadow at 9:12 p.m. Tuesday. Here's what Kansans will see

By the light of a full harvest supermoon, Kansans for about 63 minutes Tuesday evening should be able to see a partial lunar eclipse.

The earth's shadow will be seen projected onto 8% of the moon's surface by people watching under clear skies throughout North America, though not in Alaska.

The moon is consequently expected to take on a deep orangish hue , says earth.com, which described that anticipated sight as being a "visually stunning event."

The eclipse starts at 9:12 p.m. CST, reaches its maximum at 9:44 p.m. CST and runs through 10:15 p.m. CST, according to dateandtime.com .

The National Weather Service predicts skies late Tuesday in the Sunflower State will range from mostly clear, which is included in the forecast for Wichita , to partly cloudy, which is included in the forecast for Topeka .

What happens during a partial lunar eclipse?

A partial lunar eclipse takes place when the Earth passes between the sun and the moon, but those bodies don't align in a manner that is perfectly straight, according to Space.com .

When that happens, the darkest part of the Earth's shadow – known as the umbra – covers only a small fraction of the moon's surface. The penumbra, or outside edge of the Earth's shadow, covers the rest of the moon.

Those watching Tuesday's eclipse should also be able to see the planet Saturn, which is expected to appear as a bright spot closest to the moon .

Viewers won't need protective eyewear or other precautions, as they would during a solar eclipse.

What is a 'supermoon'

Tuesday's eclipse comes during a "supermoon," or a full moon that is bigger and brighter than usual.

Super moons occur about three to four times a year, with four consecutive super moons appearing this year between August and November, according to NASA.

This month's supermoon is expected to reach its brightest at 9:34 p.m. CST Tuesday, according to Space.com .

Supermoon s occur when the moon is at or near its closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit. That position is known as its "perigee."

At its perigee, the moon appears up to 14% larger and 30% brighter than when it is at its farthest point from Earth, which is called its "apogee."

The full moons in September and October are virtually tied for coming the closest to Earth this year, NASA's website said.

Why is it called a Harvest Moon?

The Harvest Moon is the name given to the full moon that occurs closest to the autumnal equinox .

That moon was given that name because its presence helped farmers to harvest their crops from their fields.

USA Today quoted Sky & Telescope magazine editor Alan MacRobert as saying, "In the days before tractors with headlights, having moonlight to work by was crucial to getting the harvest in quickly before rain caused it (the crops) to rot."

Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@gannett.com or 785-213-5934.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Moon to enter Earth's shadow at 9:12 p.m. Tuesday. Here's what Kansans will see