On the evening of Sunday, Sept. 27, make sure to head outside and look up. That's because sky watchers in North and South America are in prime position to experience a rare celestial treat when a supermoon, the closest full moon of the year, and a total lunar eclipse happen at the same time.
Not only will our moon appear up to 14 percent larger in the night sky, it'll also look red during the eclipse. The last time Earth saw a supermoon eclipse was 1982 and it won't happen again until 2033.
On Sept. 27, our moon will be in just the right spot to cruise through Earth's shadow. When the moon is completely within Earth's shadow, direct light from the sun is blocked and the moon will turn a reddish color as it reflects the light of all of the sunsets and sunrises happening on Earth.
At the same time Earth will also experience a "supermoon," the closest full moon of the year.
The two events occurring at the same time is uncommon; it's only happened five times since 1900 and won't happen again for another 18 years.
