A penumbral lunar eclipse will coincide with September's full moon, also known as the Harvest Moon, this Friday (Sept. 16), and you can watch it live thanks to the Slooh Community Observatory, which is partnering with the Old Farmer's Almanac to broadcast the Harvest Moon eclipse.
The 4-hour webcast will include a live stream from telescopes in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and western Australia — all locations where the eclipse will be visible. You can watch the action at Slooh.com beginning at 12:45 p.m. EDT (1645 GMT).
You can also watch the lunar eclipse webcast on Space.com, courtesy of Slooh. [Harvest Moon Lunar Eclipse Guide: When, Where & How to See It]
During the webcast, Slooh astronomer Paul Cox will explain the science of a penumbral lunar eclipse, which happens when the moon moves through the faint, outer shadow of the Earth. This causes the moon to darken slightly, but the effects may not be visible to the naked eye.
The penumbral lunar eclipse is far less dramatic than a total eclipse. During a total eclipse, the moon moves into the center of Earth's shadow, causing the moon's surface to appear blood red because it receives only a portion of the light coming from Earth's atmosphere. During the webcast, Eric Edelman, another Slooh astronomer, will discuss the differences between the types of eclipses.
Bob Berman — Slooh astronomer and astronomy editor for The Old Farmer's Almanac — will talk about how the moon moves around the Earth, and Janice Stillman, editor of The Old Farmer's Almanac, will discuss the history and folklore surrounding the Harvest Moon.
"They'll discuss the different names the September Moon has been given by different cultures, and delve into some of the cultural stories and traditions surrounding the Harvest Moon, and the annual harvests associated with it," Slooh representatives wrote in a statement.
Viewers can ask questions during the show by tweeting @Slooh or by participating in the live chat at Slooh.com.
Editor's note: If you live in one of the visilibility regions for the Harvest Mooon penumbral lunar eclipse and capture a striking photo of the event that you'd like to share with Space.com and our news partners for a story or gallery, we want to know! You can send images and comments in to: spacephotos@space.com.
Follow Elizabeth Howell @howellspace, or Space.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebookand Google+.Original article on Space.com.
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