How to watch Wednesday's partial lunar eclipse and full supermoon in the UAE

Early risers on Wednesday could see a faint eclipse of the Moon

The Moon during a penumbral lunar eclipse in Skopje, North Macedonia in May 2022. Photo: AFP

The Moon will appear dimmer across the UAE on Wednesday, when the Earth’s outer shadow lightly touches its surface.

Called a penumbral lunar eclipse, it will appear in the country’s skies during the early hours.

People in other parts of the world will be able to witness a partial lunar eclipse but because the celestial show is taking place in the early hours in the Emirates, only a portion of the eclipse will be visible.

Khadijah Ahmad from the Dubai Astronomy Group told The National the penumbral phase will begin at 4.41am in the UAE.

“While the UAE won’t witness the partial phase of the lunar eclipse as it will occur below the horizon, we will still have the opportunity to catch the penumbral phase,” she said. “Although subtle, it offers a fascinating look at how the Earth’s outer shadow gently touches the Moon.”

What is a penumbral lunar eclipse?

This type of eclipse is more difficult to observe than a total or partial lunar eclipse but it still offers a unique chance to see the Earth’s shadow interact with its closest celestial neighbour.

It takes place when the Moon passes through the Earth’s penumbral shadow, the faint outer portion of the shadow cast by the Earth.

During this event, the Moon’s surface dims slightly but the effect can be hard to see without telescopes or binoculars. Although subtle, the eclipse offers a rare opportunity to observe the interactions between the Sun, Earth and the Moon.

Dubai Astronomy Group will be hosting a live stream during all of the phases of the eclipse on its YouTube channel.

Thabet Al Qaissieh from Al Sadeem Astronomy in Abu Dhabi told The National that the group will try to photograph the partial eclipse using smart telescopes.

“Generally, it’s a great idea to look up at the night sky, especially when the Moon is full and bright,” he said. “And while a portion of the partial lunar eclipse is visible from the UAE, it’s a good occasion to marvel at our cosmic neighbour and catch a glimpse of Earth’s shadow cast on the Moon.”

A total lunar eclipse will be visible in the UAE's skies on September 7 next year and another on December 31, 2028.

Super harvest moon

On Wednesday evening, there will also be a supermoon, which occurs when the Moon appears larger and brighter in the sky due to its closer proximity to Earth.

This coincides with the harvest moon, the full Moon closest to the autumn equinox, traditionally signalling the start of the harvest season. It will appear as full for three days.

The Maine Farmers' Almanac began publishing these names for full moons in the 1930s and they are now widely used. It has several other names, including the corn moon, the fruit or barley moon and the potato harvest moon.