The Harvest Moon Will Be Visible In Oklahoma on September 17

One of the biggest signs that autumn is near is the Harvest Moon, and it will be visible over Oklahoma on Tuesday, September 17. This year, the Harvest Moon will be a supermoon and will undergo a partial lunar eclipse.

According to a 1911 issue of Scientific America, the term "harvest moon" originated in England as the moonlight from several consecutive nights "aided the harvesting of crops." It has since been coined to the annual Harvest Moon, which is when the moon is at its full in the month of September in the northern latitudes.

This year, the Harvest Moon will be partially eclipsed by Earth and will be best viewed in North America, South America, Europe and Africa. Along with the moon and the eclipse, Saturn will be visible next to the moon. And the Harvest Moon will be a supermoon, which means it will shine brighter than most full moons. The Harvest Moon will be the second of four supermoons in 2024.

How can you watch the Harvest Moon eclipse?

Unlike a solar eclipse, there's no need for special glasses to watch a lunar eclipse! All you have to do is get the timing right, especially with the eclipse during the upcoming Harvest Moon. This will only be a partial eclipse so the moon won't be fully covered by Earth.

In Oklahoma, the sun is expected to set around 7:30 p.m. EST. The moon will then begin to rise and the Harvest Moon will be full around 9:34 p.m. EST. The peak eclipse moment is expected just 10 minutes after at 9:44 p.m. EST. Full details of the eclipse and its timing are available at LiveScience.com.