This week’s super harvest moon and partial lunar eclipse were photographed by photographers around the world, who were keen to capture the beauty of the bright moon in the evening sky.
The full moon on September 17/18, 2024 was a supermoon, a harvest moon, and a partial lunar eclipse, making it a spectacular sight for those with clear skies and able to get outside and observe it.
Supermoon over Ashton Monument in Lancaster, Lancashire, UK. Taken by Lee Mansfield from a bridge about a mile away, using a 600mm lens. Click to expand.
The term “Harvest Moon” is an informal nickname for the full moon closest to the vernal equinox in September, and was historically named because of its proximity to harvest time.
The term “supermoon” is the informal term for what is astronomically called a “perigee moon,” that is, the moon at its closest point to Earth in its orbit (perigee), and is one of three celestial bodies in alignment (conjunction), in this case the Sun, Earth, and Moon.
A supermoon over midtown Manhattan and the Empire State Building in New York City, USA. Traffic along the 14th Street Bridge is seen in the foreground, September 17, 2024. Click to expand. Photo by Gary Hirschhorn/Getty Images
Technically, supermoons may be larger than a “regular” full moon, but the difference in apparent size is so small that it is imperceptible to the human eye.
However, the supermoon is a common phenomenon all over the world, as seeing a large, bright full moon in the sky is always magical, whether the moon is at perigee or not.
But to crown this week’s super harvest moon, in the early hours of September 18, the full moon underwent a partial lunar eclipse, with the Earth’s shadow casting over a small portion of the moon’s surface, causing a slight dimming effect.
Partial lunar eclipse over Anitkabir in Ankara, Türkiye, September 18, 2024. Click to expand. Photo by Mehmet Futsi/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
As expected, astronomers and moon watchers have been out in droves this week, aiming to capture and observe the stunning lunar spectacle.
Here are some of the best images we’ve seen so far.
Did you capture the Super Harvest Moon or Partial Lunar Eclipse on September 17/18? Send your images to us at [email protected]
View of the partial lunar eclipse on September 18, 2024 and the aircraft. Photographed by Paul Osborne at 04:29 GMT, Blackrock, County Dublin, Ireland. The aircraft is a UPS Cargo Boeing 767, registration N348UP, flight number UPS248 from Cologne Bonn, landing en route to Dublin. Equipment: Nikon D500, AF Nikkor 300mm f4 ED lens. Exposure: 1/800 sec at f11, focal length 300mm, ISO-200. Software: Nikon NX Studio
Harvest Moon dissected by cloud on September 18, 2024, taken by Lee Mansfield over the Singing Chime Tree, Burnley, Lancashire, UK. The Singing Chime Tree is a wind-powered acoustic sculpture resembling a tree set in the landscape of the Pennine Hills overlooking Burnley, Lancashire.
A Harvest Moon image taken on September 18, 2024 by Lee Mansfield above the Singing Chime Tree, Burnley, Lancashire, UK. The Singing Chime Tree is a wind-powered acoustic sculpture resembling a tree set in the Pennine Hills landscape overlooking Burnley, Lancashire.
Partial lunar eclipse captured by Chirag Upreti from New York City, USA, September 18, 2024. Equipment: Sony A7R3, Sony 200-600 lens with X2 teleconverter, focal length 1200mm. Exposure: ISO 800, f/13, 1/60. Software: Autostakkert 4.0, Registax
Super Harvest Moon over the Ottawa River captured by Anne Serdola from Deep River, Ontario, Canada, on September 17, 2024, at 8 p.m. local time. Equipment: Canon camera.
Ian Butler skillfully captured this handheld image of the supermoon over St Anthony’s Lighthouse, Falmouth, Cornwall. Equipment: Canon EOS 5Dd Mk2 DSLR, Canon 300mm 2.8L lens, ISO 2000, 1/320, f/3.2
A supermoon over midtown Manhattan and the Empire State Building in New York City, USA. Traffic along the 14th Street Bridge is seen in the foreground, September 17, 2024. Photo by Gary Hirschhorn/Getty Images
Super Harvest Moon near the Empire State Building and Hudson Yards, New York City, USA, September 17, 2024. Photo: Gary Hirschhorn/Getty Images
Super Harvest Moon and Saturn’s iris clouds (dot on left), taken by Egidio Vergani from Milan, Italy, on September 17, 2024. Equipment: Panasonic FZ1000 I, ISO 400-800, 1/6 sec, f/4-5.6.
Super Harvest Moon and sparkling clouds, captured by Egidio Vergani from Milan, Italy, on September 17, 2024. Equipment: Panasonic FZ1000 I, ISO 400 – 800, 1/6 sec, f/4 – 5.6.
Supermoon over Ashton Monument in Lancaster, Lancashire, UK. Taken by Lee Mansfield from a bridge about a mile away, using a 600mm lens.
Supermoon over Ashton Monument in Lancaster, Lancashire, UK. Taken by Lee Mansfield from a bridge about a mile away, using a 600mm lens.
Supermoon over Ashton Monument in Lancaster, Lancashire, UK. Taken by Lee Mansfield from a bridge about a mile away, using a 600mm lens.
A near-full moon rises over the Basilica of San Emiliano, Trevi, Italy, taken by Paolo Palma, September 15, 2024. Equipment: Nikon Coolpix p510, ISO 400, 1/50 sec
A near-full moon rises over the Basilica of Sant’Emiliano, Trevi, Italy, taken by Paolo Palma, September 15, 2024. Equipment: Nikon Coolpix p510, ISO 400, 1/50 sec
Super Harvest Moon over Istanbul, Türkiye. Photo: Serkan Ozkurnazli/Getty Images
A supermoon rises above the Lower Manhattan skyline, as seen from Jersey City, New Jersey. Photo: Gary Hirschhorn/Getty Images
Great Harvest Day during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, China, September 17, 2024. Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images
A real Harvest Moon! A supermoon appears over the soybean harvest at Malco Farms in Monroe, Wisconsin, September 17, 2024. Photo by Ross Harried/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Super Harvest Moon over Scituate Lighthouse, Massachusetts, United States, September 17, 2024. Photo: Joseph Prezioso/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Partial lunar eclipse over Anitkabir in Ankara, Türkiye, September 18, 2024. Photo: Mehmet Futsi/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Super Harvest Moon over Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China. Photo by Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images
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