The next supermoon is just days away in southern Ontario

Skywatchers, assemble! The next supermoon is just days away and will be visible in southern Ontario.

The Harvest Supermoon will light up the night sky on Tuesday (Sept. 17) at 10:34 p.m ET.  This rare event is the second in a series of four supermoons this year, making it appear larger and brighter than usual as it sits closer to Earth.

According to Space.com, the upcoming supermoon will coincide with a partial lunar eclipse, adding to the excitement. The eclipse will peak at 10:44 p.m. ET, casting a brief shadow on part of the moon.

While the visual difference between a supermoon and a regular full moon is subtle—up to 30 per cent brighter and 14 per cent larger—the combination of the supermoon and eclipse makes this event particularly special.

The term supermoon, coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979, gained widespread attention during three consecutive supermoons in 2016.

Space.com says this month’s supermoon will bring the moon as close as 222,131 miles (357,486 km) to Earth, making it one of the most notable lunar displays of the year.

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If you missed the Sturgeon Supermoon in August, don’t worry—now’s your chance to catch the Harvest Supermoon. Plus, two more supermoons are coming up: the Hunter’s Moon on Oct. 17 and the Beaver Moon on Nov. 15, with the Hunter’s Moon reportedly being the biggest and closest out of all the full moons of 2024. You definitely don’t want to miss these!

—With files from Karen Longwell.