AccuWeather reports a spectrum of lunar events will occur Sunday evening that will not be repeated for another 18 years.
A lunar eclipse will coincide with a super moon on Sunday, Sept. 27 at 9:07 p.m. EDT. As the moon will be in its closest proximity to Earth, it will appear up to 14 percent larger.
This supermoon, also called a harvest moon due to its occurrence falling at the beginning of the autumn season, will have an extra characteristic.
Known as a blood moon, the moon will pass behind behind the Earth into its shadow, resulting in a red tint across its surface.
“The red portion of sunlight is what makes it through our atmosphere to the other side, bent toward the eclipsed moon, so that even though the moon is within Earth’s shadow, the red portion of the sun’s light can give the moon this ghostly illumination,” Eric Edelman of Slooh community observatory told AccuWeather.
While a range of clouds and storms may prevent ideal viewing conditions in spots across the country, those with clear skies will be able to take in the stunning views with ease.
Supermoon lunar eclipses are historically rare, though frequency has increased during the 21st century, according to Slooh Astronomer Bob Berman.
“It’s one of best astronomical events to witness without any equipment and we know exactly when it’s going to happen,” AccuWeather Meteorologist and Astronomy Blogger Dave Samuhel said.
“The moon will be fully eclipsed for a little over one hour,” Samuhel said. “But the time from the very start to the very end of the eclipse will be a little over three hours.”
The supermoon portion of the eclipse will last roughly 72 minutes, reaching totality at 10:47 p.m. EDT.